"The Legal and Political Constitution:
Old and New Ways of Thinking About American Constitutionalism"

New insights and knowledge

• The Constitution is as democratic as we want it to be
• It provides a framework
• Legal Constitution and a Political Constitution
• Change through legislative and executive means
  • Interest groups and individuals influence interpretation and therefore changes in Constitution
• Dialog about the Constitution's meaning
  • An evolving document
  • Since the Framers disagreed on the Constitution and its meaning, engaging in a dialog about its meaning is true to its inception
  • Hamilton would have had less change, Jefferson more
  • Vagueness promotes the dialog
  • Citizen involvement is integral to this effort
  • Opposing views make a democracy
• Some of the framers feared a true mass democracy
  • Probably would not approve general population interpreting the Constitution
• The origin was not a mass movement, but written by an elite in private.
• Congress has generally been more protective of the rights of citizens than the Supreme Court (exception being the Warren Court)
• Judicial review is not in the Constitution - became a practice
• Constitution and civil rights are also changed by criminal cases

• It is a living document
• How it stands for what we are as a nation
• Understanding the preamble is important to understanding the entire document
• The U.S. Constitution is different than other national Constitutions and they place different emphases on different rights
• The struggles that have taken place as the nation developed the Constitution and its interpretations

• We the People Curriculum
  • Training can be arranged for this program
• Ways to connect issues to the Constitution
  • Current events
  • Historical events
  • Films and televisions shows
    • Twelve Angry Men
    • The Road from Runnymeade (shows how the Constitution is based on other documents)
• Practice public discourse
  • Listen for point of view
  • Open minds to new perspectives
• Use debate/ role play
  • Not to win, rather to expand ideas and perspective
  • Acting as informed citizens listening to each other's ideas instead of just trying to win
  • Examine case law and role play court cases
  • Socratic seminars
• Use primary documents
• Prepare for voting
• Compare the U.S. Constitution to other Constitutions
• Volunteer in campaigns
• Research local issue and develop plan for change
• Mock conventions and mock legislature
• Mock electoral college
• Study impact of Constitution on themselves
• Rewrite the Constitution
• Respond to scenarios with evidence from the Constitution
• Living Voices and other reenactments

• Active citizenship
• Appreciation of the United States
• Exercise their rights
• Make informed voting decisions
• Participate in their community as active citizens
• Service learning

• How do we teach ELL students the ideals of democracy?
• Interest in search and seizure involving students in school

• oyez.com of Northwestern University is a multimedia Supreme Court database
• Constitution Center
• Peter Irons: book and tape of Supreme Court cases
• Pocket Constitutions

• Valued having teachers getting together
• Liked direct relation of materials to the classroom
• Appreciated being treated as a professional - as part of the field
• Liked the mixed groups, but would like to be with school team near end of colloquia
• Liked talking to teachers in different districts
• Would like to know topics and ideas before meetings
• Want common email and home page for resource ideas
• E-mail people information on upcoming colloquia
• Focus teacher discussion on how to change to use the new material rather than on what we already do

Washington State University, Vancouver | Center for Columbia River History
Evergreen School District | Klickitat School District | Vancouver School District