Explore the Intellectual Inspirations of the Constitution and Its Impact Today

Constitution in the Headlines is back for the new school year and this week we're providing a Constitution Day follow-up lesson to explore questions such as, how did Enlightenment and classical thinkers shape the Constitution? How do their ideas still guide American government today? 

Get a sneak preview below before you access the resource:

In 1787, delegates in Philadelphia drew on centuries of political thought to design a new system of government. From Thucydides’ history of war and power, to Montesquieu’s analysis of separation of powers, to George Mason’s demand for a bill of rights, the framers borrowed and debated ideas that continue to influence constitutional law and civic life today. Two scholars Paul Rahe (Hillsdale College) and Jonathan Gienapp (Stanford University) revisit these intellectual foundations in clips from a We the People podcast.

Rahe highlights Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws, which defined republics, monarchies, and despotisms and inspired America’s separation of powers. Gienapp examines George Mason’s Objections, a pivotal anti-Federalist critique that paved the way for the Bill of Rights. These insights reveal that the Constitution is not a static artifact but a landmark document that continues to inspire conversations between past and present. 

Constitution Daily: Three-Part Series on Free Speech

Part I: A look at early landmark free press censorship cases

By Scott Bomboy | Read time: 5 minutes

“The freedom of the press is one of the core rights enshrined in the Constitution’s First Amendment, as written in September 1787 and ratified in December 1791. As stated, “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom . . . of the press …”

The founders were very aware of the influence of printed words, and the important roles that newspaper and pamphlet publishers played in disseminating ideas. Prior to the era of the Revolutionary War and the Constitution, newspaper censorship became an issue in the colony of New York.”

New Podcast Series Hosted by Jeffrey Rosen

Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide To Happiness

Listen to Pursuit: The Founders' Guide To Happiness, a 12-part series hosted by our President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen that explores how the founders understood personal growth, and how you can put those ideas into practice today.

Three episodes are available now with conversations featuring Ken Burns, Lindsay Chervinsky, Robert P. George, and Stacy Schiff.

Pursuit is made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

Upcoming Free Professional Learning

🗓️ Monthly Virtual Professional Learning Session: Voting Rights

Wednesday, October 15 | 6:30-8 p.m. ET

In this session, participants will explore the right to vote throughout history and work to answer several key questions about voting rights in America. Join us as scholar Pamela Karlan addresses the ways in which the Constitution protects the right to vote, how the amendment process has shaped voting rights, and Supreme Court decisions dealing with the right to vote. Rebecca Smart, a member of the Center’s Teacher Advisory Board, will guide participants through resources to lead conversations on voting rights in the classroom.

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About the National Constitution Center’s Educational Resources 

The National Constitution Center provides K-12 curriculum, professional learning, and student programs that make constitutional education engaging and relevant. Learn more at: constitutioncenter.org/education.

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