Protecting Natural Rights: The Bill of Rights and Government Power
How can the government protect people’s natural rights?
Students will investigate how governments protect people’s natural rights by examining the Bill of Rights, grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence, and different forms of government. Through source analysis, collaborative discussion, and constructive dialogue activities, students will evaluate how democratic governments protect individual freedoms and how constitutional rights continue to shape civic life today.
Objectives:
- Explain how the Bill of Rights protects individual rights and limits government power.
- Analyze connections between grievances in the Declaration of Independence and protections in the Bill of Rights.
- Compare how different forms of government protect or limit people’s natural rights.
- Use evidence from primary and secondary sources to support claims and civic discussions.
Assessment:
- Bill of Rights Source Analysis
- Collaborative Discussions
- Foundations Exchange Activity Participation
- Constitutional Amendment Proposal
Resources
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The Power of Your Voice!
In this lesson, students will investigate the meaning of natural rights, their place in the Declaration of Independence, and the role of citizens in protecting these rights. Students will engage in small-group deliberation, utilize a myriad of resources, and ultimately engage in a student voice project. By the end of the lesson students will have seen several examples of fellow students engaging in active citizenship, and how they might exercise their own voice.
A Living Constitution
In this lesson, students investigate how the Constitution balances stability and change through the amendment process and civic participation. Through analysis of Article V, historical amendments, and case studies of social movements, students examine how citizens have influenced constitutional change over time. Students evaluate why the amendment process is intentionally difficult, explore how civic action can lead to reform, and consider the role of individuals and groups in shaping a living Constitution.
Washington’s Legacy
In this lesson students will examine the foreign policy advice of President George Washington and then evaluate the policies for four other US presidents to analyze if they followed his advice.