In this lesson, students will learn about audience appeal and analyze how Jefferson chose his arguments and his language to appeal to his particular audience.

Test your knowledge of the Bill of Rights by playing the Bill of Rights golf game. As you correctly answer questions, you may fall into a trap, bogey, par, or get a hole in one! A scorecard and answers are provided. Also, included is a link to the history of the Bill of Rights.

Chief Justice Burger's majority opinion in the case of MARSH vs. CHAMBERS, 463 U.S. 783 (1983). The case dealt with whether an opening prayer in the Nebraska Legislature violated the First Amendment.

After completing the lessons in this unit, students will be able to summarize the contents of the First Amendment and give examples of speech that is protected by the Constitution and speech that is not protected by the Constitution.

Explore how civil liberties are protected under the Bill of Rights. Through a study of foundational documents like the Constitution and key Supreme Court cases like Barron v. Baltimore, New York Times v. The United States, and Roe v. Wade, learn about the ongoing debate about the scope and reach of the Bill of Rights. The episode covers issues like state's rights, the complexity of freedom of speech, due process of law, clear and probable danger, and libel. [14:04]

[Free Registration/Login Required] After a brief description of Thomas Jefferson's and James Madison's contributions to the early ideology and government of the new United States in their authorship of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, this essay discusses the dangers of factionalism that threatened the success of the new country. Jefferson's and Madison's handling of these problems when they were president was instrumental in giving the United States a good chance of enduring.

Text of James Madison's "Proposed Amendments to the Constitution," June 8, 1789. Madison states his reasons for the amendments in view of the anti-federalist feelings in many of the colonies. The proposal explains in Madison's own words the reasons for the widespread disapproval, especially the idea of a strong system of federalism. Madison does not propose to change the Constitution, but to amend it with the Bill of Rights.

Video introduced by Judge Sandra Day O'Connor where she talks about the Supreme Court's role in making decisions about freedom of speech. We then learn about why a Constitution was needed, the struggle for ratification, and how the three branches of government protect freedom of expression. [18:03]

Video that examines the first ten Amendments to the Constitution which make up the Bill of Rights, their history, and their impact on the lives of Americans. [15:00]

This is a wonderful way to explore the US Constitution. The actual text of the Constitution comes first, then an excellent explanation of the text follows. In addition, most of the Amendments have essays by scholars on opposing sides of judicial interpretations, so students can understand some of the legal conflicts that arise around the Constitution. Students can also perform a keyword search, explore by topic, and search the text by Supreme Court decisions.

This site from The History Place provides a timeline of American history between 1784 and 1790. Mentions many famous people and events of the era. Links to John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, James Madison, the Constitution, Bill of Rights, George Washington (and his inaugural address), the Northwest Ordinance, and Federalist Papers as well as to other timelines surrounding this period.

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.

Lesson in which students learn about the origins of the Constitution and Bill of Rights through informative and animated video [4:32] written by educator James Coll.

Visit The National Archives & Records Administration's website on the Bill of Rights. The site gives some background information on the drafting of the Bill of Rights, lets you view the text to the document, lets you view an image of the original 1789 document, and more.

A discussion of how the First through Tenth Amendments to the Constitution came to be written.

A popular introductory guide for American citizens and those of other countries who seek a greater understanding of our heritage of democracy. The question-and-answer format covers a broad range of topics dealing with the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of our government as well as the electoral process and the role of political parties.

U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top down (politics, economics, diplomacy) and bottom up (eyewitness accounts, lived experience). U.S. History covers key forces that form the American experience, with particular attention to issues of race, class, and gender.Senior Contributing AuthorsP. Scott Corbett, Ventura CollegeVolker Janssen, California State University, FullertonJohn M. Lund, Keene State CollegeTodd Pfannestiel, Clarion UniversityPaul Vickery, Oral Roberts UniversitySylvie Waskiewicz

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Describe the competing visions of the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans
Identify the protections granted to citizens under the Bill of Rights
Explain Alexander Hamilton’s financial programs as secretary of the treasury

This site gives a biography of President James Monroe. From the left-hand toolbar, select information about his life before presidency, campaigns and elections, and also domestic affairs. Links to the first lady, cabinet members , and key events can also be found on the left-hand toolbar.