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This is a website that gives detailed analysis of the Pros and Cons of divisive issues debated by American society. It's a great way to start many a debate. Furthermore, it has specific connections to many Constitutional debates like Gun Control, Capital Punishment, and Citizenship.

This page includes a range of posts supporting "yes" and "no" views on whether kids should have the right to vote. Teachers could use the page as supplemental reading for a Voting Rights lesson, as a scaffold to a whole-class debate, or as a model for creating a class blog where students can debate the topic.

This site offers a history of the death penalty through time, beginning with Hammurabi's Code. It provides brief overviews of each landmark moment presented, many including text excerpts from primary sources. Teachers may want to use this as a resource for information when teaching the 8th Amendment, rather than introduce students to the page itself as the information (as a result of the topic) can feel a bit overwhelming as a whole.

I've used this site before as a resource for debates on a variety of topics. I think it would work for that purpose with the death penalty as well. You are right, however, it is a bit overwhelming.... but fascinating, nevertheless.

This is a youtube clip of James Earl Jones reading an excerpt of Frederick Douglass's "4th of July Speech" -- As referenced in Week 2's Discussion Thread. For a long time I used this excerpt, because I didn't know about the David Blight podcast. I still think that this version is one of the most dramatic -- after all -- it is James Earl Jones.

Very powerful. I agree, this is great for high school classrooms.

This site would be useful for high school students exploring the rights of felons to vote. It compares different state laws. The sidebar options would help set up students to debate the issue.