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UNIT 2: ROLE OF THE PEOPLE

ESSENTIAL QUESTION 2.1: How has the meaning of the US Constitution changed over time?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION 2.2: How are the Constitutional Amendments used to shape modern day life for American Citizens?
Unit Theme: How the American people govern themselves at national, state and local levels of government is the basis
for this course. Students can impact issues addressed by local governments through service learning and senior projects.
Unit Topic: Role of the People - The government of the United States protects the freedoms of its people and provides
opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process.
AG 07: Constitutional government in the United States has changed over time as a result of amendments to the U.S.
Constitution, Supreme Court decisions, legislation and informal practices.
(In what ways can the Constitution be changed?)
- AG 07.01 Describe the different processes used to formally and informally amend the Constitution.
- AG 07.02 How have Supreme Court decisions changed the meaning of the Constitution?
- AG 07.03 How has the English Bill of Rights influenced the rights guaranteed to Americans? (i.e. Declaration of
Independence, Bill of Rights)
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 2-Lesson 1: Influence on American Colonial Government
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 2-Lesson 2: Settlement, Culture, and Government of the Colonies
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 2-Lesson 3: Disagreements with Great Britain
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 3-Lesson 1: The Countrys First Governments
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 3-Lesson 2: Creating a New Constitution
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 3-Lesson 3: The Structure of the Constitution

AG 09: The Reconstruction Era prompted Amendments 13 through 15 to address the aftermath of slavery and the Civil
War. [Amendments 13, 14, & 15]
- AG 09.01 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments?
- AG 09.02 How do the Civil War Amendments extend civil rights?
- AG 09.03 How has the 14th Amendment been used to extended rights to other minority groups throughout history?
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 3: Furthering Civil Liberties pp.141-151
McGraw-Hill: Networks; The Constitution pp. 101-124
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AG 10: Amendments 16 through 19 responded to calls for reform during the Progressive Era.
- AG 10.01 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th amendments?
- AG 10.02 Explain the arguments for and against electing senators directly.
- AG 10.03 How does the Progressive Era amendments reflect the will of the people at that time?
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 3: Furthering Civil Liberties pp.141-151
McGraw-Hill: Networks; The Constitution pp. 101-124

AG 11: Four amendments have provided for extensions of suffrage to disenfranchised groups.
[Amendments 15, 19, 24, 26]
- AG 11.01 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 15th, 19th, and 24th and 26th Amendments?
- AG 11.02 Explain the reasons behind the extension of suffrage for African Americans, females and 18 year olds.
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 3: Furthering Civil Liberties pp.141-151
McGraw-Hill: Networks; The Constitution pp. 101-124

AG 12: Five amendments have altered provisions for presidential election, terms and succession to address changing
historical circumstances. [Amendments 12, 20, 22, 23, 25]
- AG 12.01 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 12th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd and 25th Amendments?
- AG 12.02 Why was a change needed to elect a president and vice president on the same ticket?
- AG 12.03 Explain what the Lame Duck Amendment does and why it was needed?
- AG 12.04 Explain the desire to limit the terms of the president.
- AG 12.05 How did the 23rd Amendment fix a voting glitch in the system?
- AG 12.06 What are the circumstances in which presidential succession might be used?
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 3: Furthering Civil Liberties pp.141-151
McGraw-Hill: Networks; The Constitution pp. 101-124

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AG 13: Amendments 11, 21 and 27 have addressed unique historical circumstances.
- AG 13.01 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 11th, 21st, and 27th Amendments?
- AG 13.02 Explain why citizens are limited to filing lawsuits for only their state of residence.
- AG 13.03 How does the 21st Amendment
- AG 13.04 What are the benefits of postponing Congressional pay raises?
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 3: Furthering Civil Liberties pp.141-151
McGraw-Hill: Networks; The Constitution pp. 101-124

AG 16: In the United States, people have rights which protect them from undue governmental interference. Rights
carry responsibilities which help define how people use their rights and which require respect for the rights of
others.
- AG 16.01 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 1st Amendment?
- AG 16.02 How does giving individual freedoms to Americans limit the governments power?
- AG 16.03 How does the government balance protecting civil liberties with maintaining order?
- AG 16.04 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 2nd and 3rd Amendments?
- AG 16.05 What are the arguments for and against strict gun control laws?
- AG 16.06 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 4th Amendment?
- AG 16.07 What is the difference between probable cause and reasonable suspicion?
- AG 16.08 What are the exceptions to the warrant requirement of the 4th Amendment?
- AG 16.09 Why would the courts exclude evidence in a trial if it was obtained illegally by the police?
- AG 16.10 Explain how and why 4th Amendment protections are different for students in schools.
- AG 16.11 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 5th and 6th Amendments?
- AG 16.12 In what ways does the 5th Amendment protect people from arbitrary government actions?
- AG 16.13 How does the 6th Amendment maintain the rights of people accused of a crime?
- AG 16.14 How does a public trial secure a fair trial?
- AG 16.15 What changes were made to the Constitution with the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Amendments?
- AG 16.16 How does the 8th Amendment limit the power of government?
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- AG 16.17 How does the 9th Amendment secure civil liberties?
- AG 16.18 How does the 10th Amendment limit the power of the federal government?
- AG 16.19 Looking at the 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th Amendments, what rules apply to the police? To the courts?
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 1-Lesson 3: Duties and Responsibilities of American Citizens pp. 18-25
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 1: The First Amendment pp. 128-132
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 2: Other Bill of Rights Protections pp. 134-139
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 3: Furthering Civil Liberties pp. 141-145
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 14-Lesson 1: Sources and Types of Law pp. 394-401
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 14-Lesson 2: The American Legal System pp. 403-408
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 15-Lesson 1: Civil Law pp. 416-420
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 15-Lesson 2: Criminal Law pp. 421-427
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 15-Lesson 3: The Juvenile Justice System pp. 429-433
McGraw-Hill: Networks; The Constitution pp. 101-124

AG 17: Historically, the United States has struggled with majority rule and the extension of minority rights. As a result
of this struggle, the government has increasingly extended civil rights to marginalized groups and broadened
opportunities for participation. [Amendments 13, 14, 15, 19, 23, 24, & 26]
- AG 17.01 Explain the concept of majority rules and minority rights.
- AG 17.02 How has the government increasingly guaranteed rights for different minority groups throughout history?
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 1-Lesson 1: Being American pp. 5-10
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 1-Lesson 2: Becoming a Citizen pp. 11-16
McGraw-Hill: Networks; Chapter 4-Lesson 4: The Civil Rights Movement pp. 146-151
McGraw-Hill: Networks; The Constitution pp. 101-124