Online Learning Opportunities

Reconstruction, Incorporation, and the Bill of Rights Featuring Kermit Roosevelt  

Thursday, December 15 | 12 p.m. ET

Join Kermit Roosevelt of the University of Pennsylvania Penn Carey Law School for a conversation about the Bill of Rights through the lens of Reconstruction. We’ll take a closer look at why the framers thought a Bill of Rights was necessary, the rights included, and how the Bill of Rights has changed over time—specifically during the time period of Reconstruction.  (Photo: Sameer Khan/Fotobuddy)

MORE CIVIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Bill of Rights Tour

Friday, December 16 | 1 p.m. ET

We’re celebrating the first 10 amendments to the Constitution: the Bill of Rights! Travel back to the final days of the Constitutional Convention and join the debate about whether to adopt a bill of rights. Listen to the arguments for and against including a list of rights and freedoms, learn about which rights were included, and uncover the ratification process. The tour includes the Center's Constituting Liberty exhibit, which houses rare versions of America's founding documents including a Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, the first public printing of the Constitution, and a copy of the Bill of Rights. 

Bill of Rights Resources

The Center has educational materials that can help your students learn about the Bill of Rights today, and every day. Here are a just a few:

• Explore the Bill of Rights module in the new Constitution 101 curriculum.
• Watch Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch share insight about the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
• Analyze primary sources with this lesson plan on the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.
• Read up on your basic Bill of Rights facts with this Constitution Daily blog post.
• Listen to Akhil Amar discuss the importance of the Bill of Rights in this We the People podcast episode from the 225th anniversary of its ratification.

For Educators

Professional Learning Session: Separation of Powers and Federalism

Wednesday, December 21 | 6:30–8 p.m. ET

In this session, participants will focus on separation of powers and how the Constitution set up a system of checks and balances between the different branches of government. Our Constitution set up this system to ensure that no one branch of government would become too powerful, but where did this idea come from, and how has this been tested over time in America? There will also be conversations around Federalism and the debate over how to balance the powers of the national government, the powers of the states, and the rights of individuals. From Andrew Jackson and the battle over the country’s national bank to modern conversations around COVID-19, participants will engage in a lively and fast-paced conversation on how to balance and check power within our constitutional republic.  

More From the National Constitution Center

Free Speech, Same-Sex Marriage, and Anti-Discrimination Laws

On Monday, December 5, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the 303 Creative v. Elenis case. The petitioner, Lorie Smith, is an artist and website designer in Colorado, who says creating wedding websites for same-sex couples against her personal beliefs would violate her First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and religions, because it would require her to create messages inconsistent with her religious beliefs, and bar her from posting those beliefs on her website. A Colorado public accommodations law states that businesses open to the public can’t discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or state an intent to do so. Smith brought a lawsuit challenging the law. Colorado counters that the law does not require or bar any speech, and exempting Smith from the law would “upend antidiscrimination law—and other laws too.” Eugene Volokh of UCLA Law and Joshua Matz of Kaplan Hecker & Fink join host National Constitution Center PResident and CEO Jeffrey Rosen to recap the arguments and discuss the issues at stake.

Thank you for being part of our community of educators. If you have any questions, need assistance, or have feedback to share about the new website or any of these new educational offerings, we’d love to hear from you. Please email the education team at [email protected].

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