Explore the Bill of Rights on a Virtual Signers’ Hall Field Trip 

Tuesday, December 10 | Noon ET

Join us for a tour of Signers’ Hall, the Center’s exhibit featuring life-size statues of the 42 men who gathered in Philadelphia for the signing of the Constitution in 1787, and see the rare documents on display in the Constituting Liberty exhibit. 

Museum educators will take your students through an exploration of the debates over the inclusion of a bill of rights that led a small group of delegates, known as the dissenters, to refuse to sign the Constitution. Students will learn about what happened next, including the Constitution’s ratification process, and the writing of the Federalist Papers, which finally resulted in the ratification of the first 10 amendments in December 1791.

Free Professional Learning: Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights and Amending the Constitution

Online | Wednesday, December 18 | 6:30-8 p.m. ET

Discover how constitutional amendments have shaped the nation, from the Bill of Rights to more recent changes. During this session, educators will learn about the Bill of Rights and how it applies in the modern day. Members of the NCC’s Education team and a guest educator will share resources and classroom applications on the first 10 amendments and the amendment process.

Classroom-Ready Resources on the Bill of Rights

Use our Constitution 101 videos, pre-recorded classes, We the People podcasts, and more to craft lesson plans that provide entryways into these fundamental questions on the Bill the Rights:

• What is the Bill of Rights, and why did the framers think it was necessary?
• Where did the idea of a Bill of Rights emerge from?
• What rights are protected by the Bill of Rights and why were those rights enshrined in the text and not others?
• What was the role of the Anti-Federalists, those who opposed ratifying the Constitution, in making the Bill of Rights?
• How have interpretations of the amendments in the Bill of Rights changed over time?

The Constitution in the News: Ten Commandments

A Louisiana state law mandating Ten Commandments posters in public schools is the latest in a long line of controversies related to religious symbolism in public locations.

“On Nov. 20, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered arguments to be heard on Jan. 23, 2025, in Roake v. Brumley. Parties in five Louisiana school districts are opposing HB 71 or Act 676, a new state law that requires the Ten Commandments to be placed in all public school classrooms in the form of a small poster. The act also calls for schools to accept private funds and donations or donated displays to offset costs for putting up the posters...” Read more on the Constitution Daily blog. 

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