In American history, no document has sparked as much reverence, discussion, and controversy as the Constitution. But how does it really affect our everyday lives? Join Bill Moyers for this eleven-part series, originally produced to mark the Constitution's bicentennial, that delves into the fascinating history and contemporary relevance of the ultimate law of the land.
Key events leading up to the creation of the Constitution are put into historical perspective with discussion about individuals, political philosophies, and controversial social issues.
These three 20-minute videos examine key constitutional concepts. The first explains why the nation's framers created the Constitution. The second describes the protection of individual rights by highlighting the Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright, affirming the right to an attorney. The last explores the separation of powers by examining the Supreme Court case of Youngstown v. Sawyer, a challenge to President Truman's decision to take over steel mills during the Korean War.
Discusses the history and purpose of the Constitution and how amendments are proposed and ratified.
Original Intent is the judicial philosophy promoted by President George W. Bush and Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. Originalists believe the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted in the way the Founding Fathers understood it in 1789 -- an era when only white men were allowed to vote and slavery was legal. Others believe the Constitution was crafted in broad, open-ended language and that its meaning evolves over time. Original Intent: The Battle for America argues that the far right is using originalism as a cover to advance a radically conservative political agenda.
U.S. Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Stephen G. Breyer spoke with several Philadelphia area high school students in June 2005 in Washington, D.C. The students and justices discussed the significance of the judiciary and the ways that independence is protected by the Constitution.
The Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution, and The Bill of Rights represent much more than the words used by America’s Founding Fathers to define a fragile, nascent country. They’re the living, breathing realization of America’s democratic ideal, the bedrock of a society that its people have built over nearly two-and-a-half centuries, and they provide a blueprint that is, was, and will be a template for democracy around the world.
The Almost Painless Guide to the U.S. Constitution uses contemporary video footage, archival video footage and photographs, original graphics, and dialog narration to provide students in grades five and up with information on the U.S. Constitution. The program examines the inception of the Constitution as it succeeded the Articles of Confederation. It discusses the importance of the Constitution as the foundation of a federal system of government and the concept of “We the People” as the ultimate authority. The articles of the Constitution that defined the three branches of government are discussed, as is the concept of “checks and balances.
Our Legal Heritage.
In which John Green teaches you about the United States Constitution. During and after the American Revolutionary War, the government of the new country operated under the Articles of Confederation. While these Articles got the young nation through its war with England, they weren't of much use when it came to running a country. So, the founding fathers decided to try their hand at nation-building, and they created the Constitution of the United States, which you may remember as the one that says We The People at the top. John will tell you how the convention came together, some of the compromises that had to be made to pass this thing, and why it's very lucky that the framers installed a somewhat reasonable process for making changes to the thing. You'll learn about Shays' Rebellion, the Federalist Papers, the elite vs. rabble dynamic of the houses of Congress, and start to find out just what an anti-federalist is.
Constitution Day takes place every year on September 17. It celebrates the written document that outlines the rights and freedoms of U.S. citizens.
Learn what makes the Bill of Rights so important to America! When the Constitution was written, certain framers, powerful political leaders of their day such as Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, and Patrick Henry, insisted on adding basic legal protections to ensure individual rights. As a consequence, the first ten amendments were added to clarify the rights of the citizens of the United States of America. These are essential human rights, granted to all of us, that we should know and understand. In this video, they are laid out in very easy-to-understand language, with comments from noted American political science experts from major universities who help interpret the language of this essential document.
The Constitution is one of the most important and versatile documents ever written. Orderly systems of government, a president who is held accountable by Congress, and brilliantly conceived checks and balances all flow from the Constitution and have served as the backbone for creating and maintaining the greatest nation in history. It has stood the test of time and remains viable and fresh in an age, today when life is much different than when it was written.
This is a compelling account of the events leading up to the creation of the Constitution. Conforming to civics and history curriculums, the program puts key events into historical perspective by examining the pressures faced by Loyalists, Patriots, and average colonists. Richly textured with historical art, compelling video footage, and insightful commentary, it explores a fascinating mix of individuals, political philosophers, and social issues of the day. Dramatized sections provide insights into what actually went on at Independence Hall while the document was being written. A Cambridge Educational Production.
A brief explanation of the U.S. Constitution.
Why do written documents figure so prominently in the early history of the United States? There are plenty of explanations, but they all boil down to the philosophical ideas that drove the American colonies to declare their independence—and a profound awareness that those ideas should be inseparable from the rule of law. This program explores the origins, outbreak, and outcome of the American Revolution, the major political texts that grew out of that struggle, and their ongoing significance today.
How has the U.S. Constitution endured when it was created over 200 years ago? Why is it still the supreme law of the land today?
Discusses the history and purpose of the Constitution and how amendments are proposed and ratified.
In 1786, a Revolutionary War veteran named Daniel Shays, disenchanted by crushing debt and taxes, led an uprising against the government. This program examines Shays' Rebellion, as it came to be called, and the chaotic post-war era that inspired it. General George Washington’s return to public life to fill the nation’s power vacuum is addressed as well. A part of the series 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America.
Original Intent is the judicial philosophy promoted by President George W. Bush and Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. Originalists believe the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted in the way the Founding Fathers understood it in 1789 -- an era when only white men were allowed to vote and slavery was legal. Others believe the Constitution was crafted in broad, open-ended language and that its meaning evolves over time. Original Intent: The Battle for America argues that the far right is using originalism as a cover to advance a radically conservative political agenda.
This program examines the people, places, and events that led to Shays' Rebellion. Students will learn about the weaknesses of the United States’ original federal government established under the Articles of Confederation. Viewers will realize how the lack of a strong federal government impacted the union of the states and its citizens. The video discusses the events that led to Shays' Rebellion and how it sparked a movement to create a strong central government.
An armed uprising shortly after the American Revolutionary War sparks the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America.
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