This blog post discusses women's suffrage in the 17th century and how it is compatible with the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence. It dismisses the idea that the 19th amendment was some revolutionary idea and provides evidence that women were voting throughout the Colonial Period.
This is helpful essay provides background (for teachers or as a source to modify for students) on cruel and unusual punishment clause in the 8th Amendment. Provides information on influences to the writing/inclusion of the clause in the U.S. Constitution, as well as a concise yet cogent history of its interpretation over time through case outcomes. Further reading and a "Teacher's Companion Lesson" pdf provided.
This is a card-matching game providing students with practice classifying information by culture. Key topics for comparison/contrast and sorting include citizenship requirements, legislative function, selection of the executive, characteristics of a jury, role of trial lawyers, law code, uses of the Death Penalty, use of slavery, position of women. Overall goal of lesson is to provide students with reinforcement of key ideas and talking points for considering the impact of Ancient Athenian and Ancient Roman democracy on the United States.
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 website is a great glossary of many Supreme Court cases that dealt with interpreting the Bill of Rights. Some of the topics covered are Religious Liberty, Personal LIberty, Students, Freedom of Speech. This website is a great resource for anyone trying to teach the Bill of Rights through cases.
This website has lots of great resources for teaching the Bill of Rights, but this page does a nice job of organizing landmark cases by rights and giving brief, student friendly summaries which would be really helpful in teaching.
This is another website that provides background information on the 1st Amendment. I like this website because it talks about a few Supreme Court decisions and justices that have asserted that freedom of Speech is absolute. Similarly, this website does a pretty good job of describing current issues and challenges to free speech.
This is a great 1st Amendment overview provided by Cornell University Law School. It explains the basics of of the amendment. However, it also goes into some of the limits and restraint within the amendment.
This primary source document inlcudes key sources on the Constitutional government and an introduction that highlights key themes. Included are; The American Founding, Constitutional Government, Progressivism and Liberalism and Conservatism.
