Teachers | iCivics

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Slave States, Free States

The debate over slavery ultimately helped drive the United States into civil war, but before it did, there were decades of careful balance between slaves states and free states. In this lesson,…
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The Federalist Debate (HS)

Discover the debate that surrounded the Constitution before it became the law of the land. Excerpts from Federalist 84 and Anti-Federalist 46 offer insight into both sides of the debate while…
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Constitutional Principles (HS)

View the Constitution from the perspective of its foundational principles. Consider the Founders' intentions and the Constitution itself as you discover how the constitutional principles are critical…
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Lesson Plan

No Bill of Rights, No Deal (HS)

Jump into the big debate over the Bill of Rights, and see how the Federalists and Anti-Federalists battled over the fate of the U.S. Constitution. Where did the idea come from? How did they decided…
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A Movement in the Right Direction (Infographic)

How did women win the right to vote? Explore how the women's suffrage movement spread across the United States beginning in the late 1800s. Use this infographic to show students how two different…
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Machiavelli Mini-lesson

Look into the ideas and writings of the Italian thinker and politician, Niccoló Machiavelli (1429-1527).
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The Enlightenment Mini-lesson

The Enlightenment was a period of time, starting around 1715, when people developed new ideas about human existence, including people's basic rights and the purpose of government. When our Founding…
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John Locke Mini-lesson

Introduce students to the ideas and writings of John Locke that influenced the likes of Thomas Jefferson and other Founding Fathers.
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Montesquieu Mini-lesson

Meet the Baron de Montesquieu, one of the great thinkers of the 18th century. He spent a lot of time thinking about how governments should be created and maintained. These ideas guided the Founding…
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Rousseau Mini-lesson

Explore the ideas of Enlightenment thinker, Jean-Jacques Rousseau. His writings on natural and social freedom, the social contract, and democracy shaped the American system of government in a variety…
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Benjamin Franklin Mini-lesson

"The First American", Benjamin Franklin, is the only Founding Father that signed all three major documents that founded the United States of America: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of…
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George Mason Mini-lesson

Check out George Mason's role in the founding of the U.S. Even though he never served as a president and refused to sign the Constitution, Mason's work in Virginia and with the Anti-Federalists earn…
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George Washington Mini-lesson

Review the variety of roles that George Washington played in America's early years. From commanding the Continental Army, to presiding over the Constitutional Convention, to setting the standard for…
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Thomas Jefferson Mini-lesson

Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States, but he played many political roles throughout our nation’s history. His political life influenced the country in many ways, from the…
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James Madison Mini-lesson

This mini-lesson digs into the 41 year political career of James Madison. Considered the author of the U.S. Constitution, Madison was a prime architect in creating a strong national government, yet…
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Federalists & Anti-Federalists

Look at the debate, and eventual compromise, between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists that occured around the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
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Lesson Plan

The Constitutional Convention Mini-lesson

After ten years under the Articles of Confederation, Americans realized they needed something different. Explore the major debates that occurred at the convention, as well as the outcomes that…
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Early Rebellions Mini-lesson

As a new country, the United States experienced a lot of growing pains. Discover some of the citizen-led rebellions that occurred in the nation's first decades, and how the government grew to respond…
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Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned “separate but equal” in public schools. Students learn about segregation and “equality under the law,” and they use…
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In re Gault (1967)

This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court’s decision that said juvenile offenders have a right to due process. Students learn about 14th Amendment due process, fairness, and the…
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