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- Brown v. Board of Education Re-enactment includes numerous activity and teaching resources focused on the May 2014 60th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education public school desegregation decision. This page features a multi-role script for a “reader’s theater” re-enactment of the Supreme Court argument, historical background information and a profile of Justice Thurgood Marshall.
- A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation brings together the records and acts of Congress from the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention through the 43rd Congress, including the first three volumes of the Congressional Record, 1873-75. Beginning with the Continental Congress in 1774, America’s national legislative bodies have kept records of their proceedings. The records of the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and the United States Congress make up a rich documentary history of the construction of the nation and the development of the federal government and its role in the national life. These documents record American history in the words of those who built our government.
- Constitution Facts is where you will see the entire text of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence, and more! You’ll find interesting insights into the men who wrote the Constitution, how it was created, and how the Supreme Court has interpreted the United States Constitution in the two centuries since its adoption. What is your Constitution IQ?
- iCivics, founded and led by retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, provides students and teachers with the tools for active participation and democratization. The free resources include print and go lesson plans, award winning games, and digital interactives. The iCivics games place students in different civic roles and give them the opportunity to address real world problems and issues.
- A Guide to the U. S. Federal Legal System Web-based Public Accessible Sources
- How Laws Are Made
- Inside the Federal Court. One of the Federal Judicial Center’s roles is to teach federal court employees about how the courts work, how they are organized, and how they fit into the U.S. system of government. This public website is offered to help students, the media, and the public learn more about the federal courts.
- Kids in the House is a public service provided by the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. The mission is to provide educational and entertaining information about the legislative branch of the United States Government to students of all ages. Topics covered include the role of the U.S. House of Representatives, the legislative process, and history of the institution.
- Regulations and the Rulemaking Process: the basics provides a primer and pedagogical overview of the federal regulatory rulemaking process in a simple Frequently Asked Question format.
- Inside the Legislative Process is a nationally recognized research tool that provides information on state legislative processes. It is produced through a cooperative effort between the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
- State & Local Government offers a primer on state and local government. Most Americans have daily contact with their state and local governments. Libraries, schools and police departments, not to mention drivers’ licenses and parking tickets, usually fall under the oversight of state and local governments. Each state has its own written constitution and these documents are often far more elaborate than their federal counterpart. The Alabama Constitution, for example, contains 310,296 words – more than 40 times as many as the U.S. Constitution. Under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, all powers not granted to the federal government are reserved for the states and the people.
