Continuity & Change in Early America

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How, in the relatively short span of time between 1763 and 1789 did the thirteen colonies go from loyal subjects of the British crown to open rebellion to an independent republic guided by the U.S. Constitution? This is one of the central questions explored by Samford University's Jonathan Den Hartog in his introductory essay to Chapter 3 of our Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness digital resource. In this edition of the newsletter, we are beginning a series which will focus on the essential skills historians use in their work, starting with continuity and change through the lens of early America.

What is the proper relationship between church and state? In this new Homework Help video, we analyze this question by reviewing the history behind the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment as well as how the Supreme Court has interpreted its meaning.

The filibuster has long been a contentious topic in American politics. Political parties that have a minority number of seats in the Senate tend to see it as an important defensive tool while majority parties have tended to see it as a powerful obstruction to the will of the people. The debate has once again emerged as Congress considers raising the debt ceiling. This week, we invite students to share their opinions with each other on Think the Vote for a chance to win prizes for themselves and their referring teachers.

Was the Whiskey Rebellion a justified revolt by farmers who opposed taxation or did the Washington Administration act appropriately to enforce constitutional rule of law? This is the question debated by scholars Frank W. Garmon, Jr. from Christopher Newport University and Rebecca Brannon from James Madison University in this Point-Counterpoint from our free digital U.S. history textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Educator Spotlight

Meet Manuela Bandres Tari!
Manuela Bandres Tari, a Bill of Rights Institute Teacher Council member from Brighton, Colorado, has been teaching for eight years. She considers her selection to be on the council among one of her proudest achievements, along with being chosen as a Boettcher Mentor by Colorado's Boettcher Foundation. On a day-to-day basis, however, she is most proud whenever she sees “the look that students get when they have that 'a-ha' moment of understanding...Read More.

BoE: Bottom of Email

Dear John,

Helping students develop the ability to understand and write about continuity and change in history is a key skill in the AP framework, an essential skill for historians, and–perhaps most importantly–a skill that is vital for citizens in a constitutional republic to maintain in order to preserve self government.

In the fast-paced, technologically sophisticated, and rapidly changing social media fed society we live in today, students' ability to move beyond presentism and recognize the processes and trends behind current social and political movements may be more important than ever. That's one of the reasons this skill is embedded in so much of the content we produce from the AP prep webinars we host every spring to the essays and lessons in Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, to our BRIdge from the Past: Art Across U.S. History YouTube series.

What are your favorite strategies, lessons, or activities on continuity and change? What new lessons or programs would you like to see from us? We would love to hear from you, and to share your experiences with other educators in the BRI network.

Warmly,

Laura Vlk
Director, Educator Engagement
Bill of Rights Institute

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