The Alien and Sedition Acts were passed by Congress in 1798 because of feared war with France. This engaging page gives you the opportunity to see a complete copy of the original document and also gives links to a typed transcript, larger images, and a downloadable .PDF file.

American Government is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the single-semester American government course. This title includes innovative features designed to enhance student learning, including Insider Perspective features and a Get Connected Module that shows students how they can get engaged in the political process. The book provides an important opportunity for students to learn the core concepts of American government and understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. American Government includes updated information on the 2016 presidential election.Senior Contributing AuthorsGlen Krutz (Content Lead), University of OklahomaSylvie Waskiewicz, PhD (Lead Editor)

Comprehensive overview of the U.S. Constitution. Places the Constitution in context with two other founding charters of American democracy and government, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Includes access to digital facsimiles of the Constitution and to all amendments (with transcripts).

The University of Chicago provides thousands of primary source documents concerning the diverse contents of the Constitution. Documents underlying the proposed Constitution, as well as documents of the time debating the proposed Constitution are available and sorted by the major themes of the Constitution. Links to each part of the text of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are also available.

[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.

This is a full unit of study from iCivics, featuring multiple lesson plans with presentations, downloadable documents, and more. This library of mini-lessons targets the people, ideas, and events that influenced the development of America's government. Each mini-lesson includes a one-page reading and a one-page activity, and is appropriate for a variety of uses. Unlike the iCivics lesson plans, these mini-lessons are designed for students to complete independently without the need for teacher direction. However, they also make great teacher-directed lessons or even class conversation-starters, and multiple mini-lessons can be combined to make a longer lesson.

The National Humanities Center provides a full-length essay on the constitutional debate during the time of the Constitutional Convention.

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.

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:

Identify the central issues of the 1787 Constitutional Convention and their solutions
Describe the conflicts over the ratification of the federal constitution

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.

An interesting look at the elections of 1816 and 1820 in which James Monroe ran essentially unopposed by the Federalists.

A great in-depth biography of John Adams. Topics include: his life before the presidency, campaigns and elections, domestic affairs, foreign affairs, and life after the presidency. Links to the first lady, his Cabinet members, and Staff and Advisors are also provided.