Tag Archives: Bill of Rights

Know Your Bill of Rights

December 15, 2011 marked the 220th anniversary of our Bill of Rights. As usual, it passed without much fanfare, yet it’s been protecting American rights for more than two centuries. The Bill of Rights is part of the Constitution–our nation’s primary legal document–and they are law. As Americans, we expect our government to honor our […]

Who Were the Anti-Federalists and the Federalists?

Today we have Democrats and Republicans, but in 1787 we had Anti-Federalists or Federalists. According to the website (www.USConstitution.net), the Anti-Federalists eventually became what we know as the Democrats today and the Federalists became the Republican Party today. Those who were against the building of a new constitution were Anti-Federalists. Some of these were Patrick […]

Modern Day Gun Control in America: The Bill of Rights and the Right to Bear Arms

In the advent of too many school massacres to now count, including the recent mass shooting at Virginia Tech, we should at least be questioning our gun laws. Annually, more than 4,000 shoes from the feet of children killed by violence are delivered to the White House steps. Courts deliberate whether or not to charge […]

Making Connections with the Bill of Rights: Lesson Plan for Middle School Social Studies

Class: Middle School Social Studies/Government/History/Etc. Lesson: Making connections to the Bill of Rights *Prior to lesson, students should have gone through and discussed the Bill of Rights and what it is* Materials Needed: Each student should have a list of the Bill of Rights Anticipatory Set: Teacher will review the amendments within the Bill of […]

The British Constitutional Monarchy

The British monarchy, the most ancient and noble of institutions, seems to me an excellent subject on which to proceed. The starting point is clear from the beginning, but the endings and beginnings of the reigns of Charles, Charles II and the Interregnum, when England became a republic. We will no doubt take a closer […]

Understanding the Bill of Rights and Its’ Importance Today

The United States is a nation that was founded on the principle of freedom. Civil liberties, as outlined in the Bill of Rights to the original Constitution, were the means by which ordinary citizens could be guaranteed freedom. In today’s political climate, many of these civil liberties are under attack as supporters of the Patriot […]