Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: After the Fact: Virginia, New Yok, and "The Federalist Papers"
Read about the necessity for Virginia and New York to support the ratification of the Constitution. See what influenced the vote in Virginia and how the legislature of New York was finally convinced.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Bill of Rights
The Constitution spelled out the powers of the national government, but many Anti-federalists felt there should be equally explicit a guarantee of individual rights. Read about the compiliation of what became known as the Bill of Rights...
Teaching American History
Teaching American History: The Federalist/antifederalist Debate Bill of Rights
Identify the role of the debates between the Federalists and Antifederalists during the creation of the ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Teaching American History
Teaching American History: The Politics of the Bill of Rights: Part Iii
Investigate what the politics were leading to the creation of the Bill of Rights. Identify how the debates in the first congress led to the stages of approval and ultimately the adoption of the ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)
Provides a brief summary and the text of Chief Justice Brennan's opinion of the Supreme Court in this case involving libel.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Grovey v. Townsend (1935)
Read all about this Supreme Court case involving Negro voting rights in 1935. Features text of the majority opinion of the court.
Oswego City School District
Regents Exam Prep Center: Introduction to u.s. Government
Explore the ideas and principles of American government including its influences, foundation, and basic tenets (such as checks and balances and federalism).
University of Groningen
American History: Biographies: George Mason 1725 1792 Introduction
This site is provided for by the University of Groningen. Leader of the Anti-federalist faction against strong national government, Mason fought the ratification of the U.S. Constitution for protection for individual rights; read this...
US Government Publishing Office
U.s. Government Publishing Office: Eighth Amendment Further Guarantees in Criminal Cases [Pdf]
This resource provides the various court rulings as to what has been interpreted as "excessive bail", etc.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Gannett Co. V. De Pasquale (1979)
Complete Supreme Court opinion for Gannett Co. V. DePasquale.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Congress Link: Lesson Plans
The Dirksen Congressional Center provides abundant lesson plans on all aspects of the US Congress and the US Constitution. All lessons contain time frames, objectives, and links to material, and are built around Bloom's taxonomy.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Understanding the Nomination Process
From its conception in the United States Constitution, to necessary adjustments in the 12th Amendment, students will understand the nomination process and role of political parties in establishing a president with the aid of this lesson.
Yale University
Avalon Project: The Bill of Rights
Yale's School of Law provides the text of the ten original amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.
Cornell University
Cornell University: Law School: Equal Protection Overview
A brief overview of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Includes a link to the full text of the amendment. Discusses equal protection.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The First Amendment
This resource presents lessons on the First Amendment. It contains many resources for use with children, and links to primary source documents.
Digital History
Digital History: The Equal Rights Amendment
In 1972, Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA subsequently failed to be ratified by the necessary number of states and was never added to the Constitution.
Other
Real Democracy: Proposed Article of Amendment Xxvii
Read a "proposed" Article of Amendment XXVII - Nonpartisan Direct Representative Democracy, Government Electorate, Voting and Education Networks. Read this example of a proposed amendment for the establishment of direct democracy and a...
Other
Justia: u.s. Supreme Court Center: Cases and Opinions: Search and Seizure
A comprehensive overview of the Fourth Amendment, on the legality of searches and seizures of persons or property, makes note of Supreme Court rulings on the subject of unreasonable searches and searches.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Vital Protection for Individual Liberties
Explanation of the constitutional amendments and process of amending as intentionally organized to increase protection of the civil liberties of U.S. citizens.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Explaining the Bill of Rights
Read about the need for a Bill of Rights to be added to the Constitution. Find out what each of the first ten amendments means.
Ohio State University
Ohio State University: Temperance and Prohibition: Why Prohibition?
Article considers the reasons behind the enactment, in 1919, of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol.
University of Groningen
American History: Biographies: George Mason the Virginia Bill of Rights
The Virginia Bill of Rights was the framework for the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights. Some of Mason's actual phrasing appear in the first ten amendments passed fifteen years later. He is credited for authoring the first American...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: An Uneasy Peace
See what turmoil resulted from the acquisition of new territory after the Mexican-American War. There was great disagreement between those who wanted to abolish slavery and those who wanted to be able to carry slavery into the new lands....
Stephen Byrne
History for Kids: Bill of Rights
History for Kids reference page provides an overview of the Bill of Rights, outlining each of the ten amendments, and teaching about the history and principles of the U.S. Consitution and first ten amendments.