Calendar: Constitution Day USA: A day of observance, thanksgiving, and teaching the values of a democratic civic order
.
Today is Constitution Day in the USA.
The American Constitution is a long and complex document outlining the r+ts of American citizens, their responsibilities, and the structures of the American government for those purposes. It's original version was recognized as containing flaws and was amended by adding a Bill of R+ts; it was amended again in recognition of the evil of slavery, and abolishing it as an outlawed form property. Other amendments occurred along the years as times changed, with new needs and further clarifications becoming needed.
A major resource for understanding the Constitution and promoting its values is the National Constitution Center.
Calendar > Constitution Day USA
Special sections are maintained on the organization's website - for teachers, for govt employees and military, for students, for community leaders including clergy of American faith-communities.
Here's an educational checklist you can use to test your own knowledge of the foundation of the American legal system provided by the Constitution. Can you define these terms?
* declaration_of_independence * jury_duty * independence
* electoral_process * proposed_amendments * washington
* exectutive_branch * separation_of_powers * virginia
* lesson_plan * federal_powers * suffrage * citizenship
* first_amendment * judicial_review * bill_of_rights
* founding_fathers * branches_of_government
On the site, each of these terms can be clicked up, leading to classroom-ready lesson plans on the topic. However, no thumbnail definition of each is given, as I would have preferred. You know immediate feedback to your own self-testing. The idea of Constitution Day is education in the foundations of civic order, the development of youth for citizenship, and the continuing education of adults in the basis of American civics.
-- Politicarp
Further Research:
Recommended book: America's Constitution -- A Biography
Recommended book: Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution
Govt-grant-assisted h+er-ed compliance with federal Constitution Day teaching event
No comments:
Post a Comment