The National Constitution Center kicks off its 2020-2021 live constitutional classes for students, teachers, and parents with a course on Constitutional Conversations and Civil Dialogue. Students will examine the structure and function of the U.S. Constitution, and the methods scholars use to interpret it. Students will be trained in the practice of historical thinking skills as they examine primary sources and hone their constitutional thinking skills by asking “What may the government do?” The session will conclude with the ideas behind the practice of civil dialogue skills where we channel our inner Louis Brandeis who famously remarked, “Come let us reason together!”
- Monday, August 31, and Wednesday, September 2
- Middle School Session – 12 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
- High School and College Session – 2 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
- Friday, September 4
- All Ages Session – 1 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
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Explore and register for future Scholar Exchange dates.
In this session, students will examine the form of government established by the Constitution, and its key ideas—including natural rights, the rule of law, and popular sovereignty. By examining the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, students will learn how these two documents set the foundation for American democracy and make possible the freedom that is the birthright of all Americans.
Note: There will be no Monday session this week.
- Wednesday, September 9
- Middle School Session – 12 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
- High School and College Session – 2 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
- Friday, September 11
- All Ages Session – 1 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
Constitution 101: The Constitutional Convention
In this session, students will examine the issues and events that led to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, including the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, Shay’s Rebellion, and the growing need for a new national government. Students will also explore the Convention, and its major turning points and compromises—including the Connecticut Compromise, the Electoral College, the Three-Fifth Compromise, and the Slave Trade Clause.
- Monday, September 14, and Wednesday, September 16
- Middle School Session – 12 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
- High School and College Session – 2 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
- Friday, September 18
- All Ages Session – 1 p.m. EDT
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Register here.
Part lecture and part lively conversation, sessions are open to the public so that students, teachers, and parents can join in a constitutional discussion with the Center's scholars.
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Join the National Constitution Center on September 17 at 12 p.m. EDT for a special Student Town Hall with U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch. Justice Gorsuch will speak about his career, the role of the judicial branch, and what it’s like to sit on the Supreme Court. National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen will moderate the discussion.
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Private Scholar Exchanges—which include your class, a scholar, and a moderator—are also available on any of the topics previously discussed in a public Scholar Exchange. Complete this survey for more information or to register your class. A member of the education team will contact you to help with the planning process.
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Classroom Exchanges connect middle and high school students across the United States for virtual discussions about the Constitution. These sessions are moderated by National Constitution Center scholars, federal judges, and master teachers, but led by student voice. Participating teachers receive lesson plans on the content of the discussion and on civil dialogue techniques, as well as educational resources from the Center's Interactive Constitution.
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Listen to The 19th Amendment: The Untold Story, a recent episode of the Live at the National Constitution Center podcast. In this episode, historians Martha Jones and Lisa Tetrault joined National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen for a conversation exploring the history and legacy of the 19th Amendment. The discussion highlighted the untold stories of women from all backgrounds who fought for women's suffrage and equality for all—as well as the work still left to do after the amendment's ratification was won. Martha Jones is author of the new book Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. Lisa Tetrault is author of The Myth of Seneca Falls: Memory and the Women's Suffrage Movement, 1848-1898.
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The National Constitution Center's education team is here to help with any of our online resources. Email [email protected] with questions or comments on how we can help you and your students with your remote learning needs.
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