Father-and-son writers Steven and Paul Kendrick discuss the legal establishment of segregation (the concept of "separate but equal"), tracing it back to 1847. In that year, an African-American man sued the city of Boston, wanting his daughter to be able to attend a school closer to her home than the nearest all-black school. He was eventually defeated.
From the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History website:
"In 1807, Aaron Burr was tried and acquitted on charges of treason for his 'adventures' in the American West, but he had fallen out of favor in American life long before, after he had run for president against Thomas Jefferson, served a single term as vice president, and shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in an 1804 duel. A free spender, a womanizer, and the only Founding Father who was actually descended from the English aristocracy, Burr was famously secretive and conspiratorial, leaving little archival record of his dealings. In this lecture, historian Gordon Wood argues that Burr's true treason was not his actions in the West but his naked ambition, his lack of principals and character that made him a threat to the young republic."
NAACP Chairman of the Board Julian Bond talks about the views of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his emphasis on improving conditions for the working class as a whole. Bond criticizes current abuses and denials of civil rights and quality-of-life issues, and considers the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court cases on affirmative action.
Unpublished because Lesson Plan no longer exists at the Bill of Rights Institute Students apply rulings from Burr's Supreme Court trial to a contemporary case using historical documents.
Examining a historical Supreme Court case is a great opportunity to teach students about the past as well as about the precedents that shape the American legal landscape.
In this lesson, students examine the 1807 trial of Aaron Burr in which the former Vice President was indicted for treason. After examining Chief Justice John Marshall’s decision, students are asked to apply his interpretation of the Constitution to the more recent case of John Walker Lindh, American Taleb.
The lesson centers on three primary documents: Article III, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, an excerpt from Burr’s indictment, and an excerpt from Marshall’s ruling. These documents allow students to explore the legal definition of treason, the claims made against Burr, and Marshall’s reasons for finding Burr innocent. Examination of Lindh's case teaches students to apply Constitutional definitions and past interpretations thereof, in the form of legal precedent, to recent events.
While the primary documents are a bit challenging, they are accompanied by specific questions that help students identify key points in the texts. Teacher answer keys with multiple possible answers are included with all activities.
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This link provides useful background information for both teachers and students.
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Students are required to read two primary sources, excerpts from the Constitution, and secondary sources on a related contemporary case. Students are asked to write a 1-2 page response where they apply Marshall’s decision to this contemporary case.
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Student handout specifically asks students to consider source information.
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The text is a bit challenging, but the excerpts are brief and several guiding questions are included to help students identify key points.
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To help students interpret the documents, they are presented with questions that help them consider the source information of the document.
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While the main assessment asks students to consider a contemporary court case, the guiding questions and answer key for the historical documents focus on historical understanding.
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Colonial Williamsburg's Bob Doares looks at the variety of religious views held by North American colonists, including pilgrims, Puritans, and others. He discusses the state of religion and its connections with politics in England at the time, the tensions between religious groups in the colonies, and the gradual development of the idea of religious freedom.
Jim McDonald, once lead interpreter of the Wythe House in Colonial Williamsburg, outlines the the murder of George Wythe and the trial that followed.
To listen to this podcast, select "All 2007 podcasts," and scroll to the June fourth program.
The Constitution is a classroom (and U.S. ideological) staple. As the platform from which U.S. history shapes itself, it is crucial that your students understand the Founding Fathers and their documents. The Bill of Rights Institute exists to help educators present this material.
The website brings together a variety of resources from introductions to and copies of primary source documents to a wide selection of resources specifically for educators. The latter includes Constitution Day resources such as an interactive game on living without the Bill of Rights, another that provides interesting background information on all of America's infamous founding figures, and an essay contest. Browsing through the educator resources also brings to light lesson plans, Bill of Rights-related current news articles which have been selected for classroom appropriateness, information on 24 of the Founding Fathers, summaries of major Supreme Court cases, and the ability to search the site by choosing a major topic such as "criminal procedure."
The student resources are largely the same as the Constitution Day resources, although links are provided to a number of relevant videos and an "Americapedia," which identifies and describes civic values, portions of the Constitution, major political documents, major Supreme Court Cases, and names to know.
Educators may also be interested in seminars and webinars. Two previous webinars are available online.
The William H. Seward House preserves four generations (1816-1951) of artifacts of daily life; and presents the life of William H. Seward (1801-1872), Governor of New York, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, abolitionist, and organizer of the Republican Party. Seward was involved in the writing process of, and signed, the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. The 1816 structure itself is Federal and Tuscan in style.
The house offers period rooms, tours, and brown bag lectures. Advance notification is required for groups of 10 or more.
John Marshall built his home in Richmond in 1790, 11 years prior to becoming the fourth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Federal-style brick house is one of the last remaining structures of the neighborhood that existed in what is now downtown Richmond. Inside the house is the largest collection of Marshall family furnishings and memorabilia in America.
The house offers exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events.
The Andrew Johnson National Historic Site honors the life of the 17th President. Andrew Johnson's presidency, 18651869, illustrates the United States Constitution at work following President Lincoln's assassination and during attempts to reunify a nation torn by civil war. His presidency shaped the future of the United States and his influences continue today.
The site offers a short film, exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).