Sohyun An

The National Archives has several programs to help teach about the Constitution, including an online archive for accessing and downloading countless primary documents, and also virtual classroom visits from an Archives educator.

The sixtieth anniversary of Clarence Gideon’s court case, in which the Supreme Court decided that defendants in criminal proceedings should have access to a lawyer regardless of ability to pay, provides an opportune moment for an engaging lesson on the right to public defense.

A close look at contemporary voting rights issuesvoter identification laws, English only laws, and felon disenfranchisementdemonstrates ways in which voting rights can be restricted by seemingly ordinary requirements.

The study of several post-9/11 Supreme Court cases will launch a spirited student debate on the separation of powers and our constitutional system of checks and balances.

The National Archives offers a suite of educational programs through its Civics for All of US initiative that can help deepen students’ understanding of the Bill of Rights and our other founding documents.

Investigating the featured 1790 Census in the classroom can spark important discussions on who could be included in the original count as well as the role that population count plays with regard to taxation and representation.  

The featured voting machines patents can inspire thoughtful classroom discussion on voting rights, voting privacy, and the accuracy of voting machines.

Political simulations in an AP class helped students learn content and skills while they also engaged with the structures and functions of government.