Dear John,

The Declaration of Independence argues for the rights of individuals to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Bill of Rights was ratified fifteen years later to officially protect those individual rights, natural rights, and civil liberties for American citizens.

On Monday, Dec. 15, celebrate Bill of Rights Day and the upcoming 250 years of American history in your classroom with our array Bill of Rights resources. Our Bill of Rights Overview page includes the Bill of Rights primary source, videos, Founders, the amendments, and additional resources.

How does the Bill of Rights protect individual freedoms and limit government power? Watch our Bill of Rights Primary Source Essentials video and explore the history and purpose of the Bill of Rights with your class. The video reviews the safeguards and freedoms provided by the document like speech, religion, and the right to bear arms, while also ensuring protections such as due process and trial by jury.

When you complete any Bill of Rights lesson or activity in your class, submit it to the Civic Star Challenge portal. Any Bill of Rights activity can be logged under the Government and You theme for the opportunity to win from a $200,000 prize pool for you and your school.

Once a submission is completed, you will have the chance to join our Civic Star Leader Essay Contest. The essay contest is an additional chance to win a $10,000 grant for your school, an all-expenses-paid national civic education trip, or a share of over $100,000.

Log Your Activities!

BOE: Bottom of Email

Hi John,

As the year comes to an end, the Bill of Rights Institute wishes you Happy Holidays! We appreciate and value your continued support of our resources.

As we look to the New Year and America's upcoming 250th birthday, we are committed to providing helpful and engaging resources that display how the Declaration of Independence has endured throughout our complicated history.

Check out our Celebrating America 250 mini-documentaries or purchase our new 2026 Celebrating America 250 calendar which includes 12 distinct lessons that highlight iconic men and women who invested in the idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

In addition to hundreds of lessons and classroom-ready activities, we also maintain a Current Events page . Our team searches for recent news articles that explore relevant themes and connect those articles to our resources.

Warmly,

Laura Vlk
Director, Educator Engagement
Bill of Rights Institute

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