Liberty, Order, and Justice
An Introduction to the Constitutional Principles of American Government
Description:... This publication on the constitutional principles of the U.S. Government consists of the textbook and teacher's guide. The textbook begins with a review of constitutionalism in antiquity, in early modern England, and in colonial America. Following sections outline the constitutional convention in Philadelphia, the principles of the constitution, and the debate over ratification. The final sections of the textbook elucidates the role of the constitution in U.S. history with chapters on Supreme Court interpretations and the ratification of amendments. Each chapter opens with an synopsis of the main points presented and closes with a presentation of several primary documents related to the topic. These documents include the Magna Charta, the English Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact, the Virginia Bill of Rights, the Constitution and all of its amendments, several of the Federalist Papers, the Northwest Ordinance, the Supreme Court decisions in Marbury v. Madison and Martin v. Hunter's Lessee, and other materials on constitutional history. The chapters also provide questions that test students' comprehension of the content. At the end of the textbook suggestions for a classroom project in which students become state representatives and participate in a constitutional convention are included. The teacher's guide explains a new approach to the study of U.S. government. It focuses on the constitutional framework that shapes and controls the political process. The textbook is summarized as a defense of the principle that, in order to achieve liberty, order, and justice, one must first establish limited constitutional government. The teacher's guide provides lesson plans for the textbook's seven parts, which include the history of constitutional government, the colonies' original constitutions, the Philadelphia Convention, the principles of the constitution, the ratification, the interpretations of the constitution, and the amendments added since 1791. The lesson plans call for research projects, essays, and discussion questions. Each plan includes recommendations for supplemental student reading. (JD)
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