It’s one of the most recent landmark case in our Civil Rights …
It’s one of the most recent landmark case in our Civil Rights SCOTUS series, the decision that said the fundamental right to marry is protected under the 14th Amendment. How did it come about? What was the status of marriage before June of 2015? And why is the government so involved in the marriage business anyways?
This episode features the voices of Melissa Wasser from the Project on Government Oversight and Jim Obergefell, the named party in Obergefell v Hodges.
There is a graphic organizer, which is located on the podcast webpage, for students to fill out while listening to the episode.
In recent years both scholars and policymakers have expressed a remarkable amount …
In recent years both scholars and policymakers have expressed a remarkable amount of interest in the concepts of social capital and civil society. A growing body of research suggests that the social networks, community norms, and associational activities signified by these concepts can have important effects on social welfare, political stability, economic development, and governmental performance. This discussion based course examines the roles played by these networks, norms, and organizations in outcomes ranging from local public goods provision and the performance of democracies to ethnic conflict and funding for terrorism.
This course surveys the social science literature on civil war. Students will …
This course surveys the social science literature on civil war. Students will study the origins of civil war, discuss variables that affect the duration of civil war, and examine the termination of conflict. This course is highly interdisciplinary and covers a wide variety of cases.
Climate Lessons was co-authored by first-year undergraduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute …
Climate Lessons was co-authored by first-year undergraduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute while exploring the influences of Earth systems and human systems on climate change and the communities at most risk. The book highlights key interests and insights of current students in their quest to create a better world.
September 17th is Constitution Day, commemorating the day in 1787 when, at …
September 17th is Constitution Day, commemorating the day in 1787 when, at the end of a long hot summer of discussion, debate and deliberation, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed America’s most important document. George Washington, on behalf of the Convention, transmitted the proposed Constitution to the Congress assembled under the Articles of Confederation. Eleven days later, the Congress by unanimous resolution passed the proposal on to conventions of delegates to be chosen in each state. It was in these state conventions that the Constitution was thoroughly discussed, debated and eventually ratified.
The United States Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in operation, and many of the nations that have established themselves in the centuries since have turned to this document as a model for their own constitutions. As a document that defines the structure of our federal government and delineates the rights of the states within the union, and of individual citizens within the nation, the Constitution has become a symbol to Americans and to the world of our political principles and the democratic way of life that flows from them. Who is included in the phrase "We the People"? How do we form "a more perfect union"? What makes the U.S. Constitution a living document? To what extent does the Constitution influence people's lives on a daily basis?
The importance of community helpers is a building block of civics understanding. …
The importance of community helpers is a building block of civics understanding. In this episode, children investigate who community helpers are, and how they have changed over time through exploration of a rich photograph (from the Library of Congress) of a man delivering ice to a schoolhouse in 1899.
Children explore the photograph by revealing it in sections, observing the details they find (See), and working with in-game character Ella to figure out what jobs the helpers are doing. Children collect elements of the photograph to their journal, and use what they have collected to help them decide what the jobs are (Think), and then to connect those jobs with community helpers today (Wonder)
This reader is an Open Educational Resource, meant to accompany a graduate …
This reader is an Open Educational Resource, meant to accompany a graduate or higher-level undergraduate university course in climate change resilience, adaptation, and/or planning. While the material is geared toward students in urban and regional planning, it may also be of interest to students of urban studies, public health, geography, political science, sociology, risk management, and others.
A comparative study of the grand strategies and military doctrines of the …
A comparative study of the grand strategies and military doctrines of the great powers in Europe (Britain, France, Germany, and Russia) from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Examines strategic developments in the years preceding and during World Wars I and II. What factors have exerted the greatest influence on national strategies? How may the quality of a grand strategy be judged? Exploration of comparative case study methodology also plays a central role. What consequences seem to follow from grand strategies of different types? Open to undergraduates with permission of instructor.
This course focuses on the complexities associated with security and sustainability of …
This course focuses on the complexities associated with security and sustainability of states in international relations. Covering aspects of theory, methods and empirical analysis, the course is in three parts, and each consists of seminar sessions focusing on specific topics.
Four Presidents called Illinois home – Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Ronald …
Four Presidents called Illinois home – Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama. Each presided over the country at a unique time in U.S. history, and this can be seen in the messages they communicated to the nation in their inaugural addresses. All four were reelected to a second term in office. Analysis of each president’s 1st and 2nd inaugural addresses provides an opportunity to compare and contrast the priorities, goals and intentions he outlined, as well as how the nation may have been changing at that time.
Students apply economics, politics and sociology to better understand why cap and …
Students apply economics, politics and sociology to better understand why cap and trade is the preferred political approach, but also why it's potentially problematic.
Congress is made up of a group of people who work together …
Congress is made up of a group of people who work together to improve the quality of lives of citizens throughout the nation. Long ago Congress decided that it was important to pass labor laws to protect children. Students will answer the question why child labor was a problem? They will explore this question by investigating a series of photographs of children working in fish factories long ago. In addition, In this episode, students will engage in careful observation to identify objects and note details (See), generate and test hypotheses based on evidence they have collected (Think), and reflect on their learning by applying it to related questions (Wonder).
This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing …
This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, political parties, relations with other branches of the Federal government, and elections. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research. This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, political parties, relations with other branches of the Federal government, and elections. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research.
Need to teach the legislative branch in a hurry? This lesson is …
Need to teach the legislative branch in a hurry? This lesson is designed to cover the basics in a single class period. Students learn what Congress is, what the Constitution says about the legislative branch, and how a bill becomes law. They analyze some actual language from the Constitution, compare the House and the Senate, and simulate the lawmaking process by reconciling two versions of the same fictional bill.
This lesson plan introduces students to the pivotal role that Congressional committees …
This lesson plan introduces students to the pivotal role that Congressional committees play in the legislative process, focusing on how their own Congressional representatives influence legislation through their committee appointments. Students begin by reviewing the stages of the legislative process, then learn how committees and subcommittees help determine the outcome of this process by deciding which bills the full Congress will consider and by shaping the legislation upon which votes are finally cast. With this background, students research the committee and subcommittee assignments of their Congressional representatives, then divide into small groups to prepare class reports on the jurisdictions of these different committees and their representatives' special responsibilities on each one. Finally, students consider why representation on these specific committees might be important to the people of their state or community, and examine how the committee system reflects some of the basic principles of American federalism. What role do Committees play during the legislative process? How is Committee membership determined? What role do Committees play with regard to oversight and checks and balances? Analyze the legislative process of the United States Congress by focusing on the role of Committees. Evaluate how Congressional representatives can influence legislation through their specific committee assignments. Evaluate how Committees uphold the Constitutional responsibilities of the Legislative Branch.
Constitution 101 is a 15 unit curriculum that provides students with a …
Constitution 101 is a 15 unit curriculum that provides students with a basic understanding of the Constitution’s text, history, structure, and caselaw. Using multiple primary source documents students will study the historical and philosophical foundations of America’s founding principles from a range of diverse voices The curriculum guides students to think like constitutional lawyers—cultivating the skills necessary to analyze all sides of constitutional questions. Each unit contains detailed materials for classroom teachers, as well as opportunities for guided discovery and practice and tools to check for understanding.
Constitution 101 is a 15-unit asynchronous, semester-long curriculum that provides students with …
Constitution 101 is a 15-unit asynchronous, semester-long curriculum that provides students with a basic understanding of the Constitution’s text, history, structure, and caselaw. Drawing on primary source documents from our new, curated online Founders’ Library—containing over 170 historical texts and over 70 landmark Supreme Court cases selected by leading experts of different perspectives—students will study the historical and philosophical foundations of America’s founding principles from a range of diverse voices The curriculum guides students to think like constitutional lawyers—cultivating the skills necessary to analyze all sides of constitutional questions. Each module includes detailed materials for classroom educators, as well as opportunities for guided discovery and practice and tools to check for understanding.
C-SPAN's Constitution Clips makes the U.S. Constitution come alive by providing teachers …
C-SPAN's Constitution Clips makes the U.S. Constitution come alive by providing teachers and students with video clips from C-SPAN's Video Library of the Constitution in action. Click on any text link or image link to view video clips correlating to their respective section of the U.S. Constitution
iCivics offers a variety of different ways to engage in the celebration …
iCivics offers a variety of different ways to engage in the celebration of Constitution Day. They offer a simple one-day lesson, but also expand to more in-depth WebQuests, DBQs, and online games related to the Constitution and its effect on our government and our way of life. To gain full access, educators must establish a free account.
This website offers a wide variety of ready-to-use lessons related to the …
This website offers a wide variety of ready-to-use lessons related to the Constitution for students K-12. Developed by the Center for Civic Education, the lessons include: matching with the US Constitution (K); the Constitution Rap (1-3); Basic Ideas in the Preamble (3-6); 9/11 & Civil Liberties (3-5, 9-12); Citizenship & the Constitution (9-12); and so many more topics that lend themselves to celebrating Constitution Day or for a more in-depth study of our government & the founding documents.
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