60-Second Civics Podcast: Recent Episodes
Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics is a daily podcast that provides a quick and convenient way for listeners to learn about our nation's government, the Constitution, and our history. The podcast explores themes related to civics and government, the constitutional issues behind the headlines, and the people and ideas that formed our nation's history and government.
60-Second Civics is produced by the Center for Civic Education. The show's content is primarily derived from the Center's education for democracy curricula, including We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, Project Citizen, Foundations of Democracy, and Elements of Democracy.
There are important differences between Parliament and Congress, just as there are important differences between the powers and limitations on an American president and those on a British prime minister. Learn what these are on today's podcast.
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During the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted from about 410 AD until 1066 AD, many different tribes ruled Britain. These tribes featured different social roles, such as andquot;thanesandquot; and andquot;ceorls.andquot; Listen to learn more about Anglo Saxon society in today's episode!
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The Framers of the Constitution wanted the president to be strong, but not too strong
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The Framers of the Constitution envisioned the president as being above partisan politics. They wanted the president to be a person who had earned the esteem and confidence of the entire nation. This was one of the purposes of the Electoral College.
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Justice Robert Jackson's concurring opinion in Youngstown Sheet and Tube v. Sawyer (1952) sets forth a framework that is widely used to assess presidential power.
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One of the forces that helped define the European Renaissance was humanism. In fact, humanism helped create the Renaissance. Find out how in today's episode!
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Classical republicanism and natural rights philosophy had a profound influence on the way the American Founders thought about government. However, the Founders were also strongly influenced by the Judeo-Christian religious tradition.
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Popular sovereignty is a fundamental idea of democracy. It is also a simple idea: The people are the ultimate source of the authority of government. Find out more in today's episode!
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One idea from natural rights philosophy that gained traction in the American colonies was popular sovereignty.
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Given the abundant natural resources and freedom the colonists enjoyed, natural rights philosophy strongly influenced many of the American Founders. Find out more about natural rights philosophy in the colonies with today's episode!
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The Declaration of Independence, which reflects Locke's view of natural rights, states that people consent to government to protect certain natural rights, identified in the Declaration as inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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A constitution limits the powers of government by defining and distributing its powers. However, just because a nation has a constitution does not mean that it has a constitutional government.
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While the founders were supportive of democracy as a concept, they had their reservations about certain types. Learn more in this episode!
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What did James Madison think about the term andquot;republicandquot; and why is this significant for the foundation of the United States? Find out more in today'ss episode!
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America's Founders learned about government from their experiences in self-government as subjects of the British Empire. They also learned about government by reading history and philosophy, particularly that of ancient Greece and Rome and the works of sixteenth and seventeenth-century philosophers.
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While most Americans during the colonial period were farmers, others followed various trades, working as brickmakers, carpenters, printers, sailors, shoemakers, and even wigmakers, among other professions. Listen to today???s podcast to learn more about these colonial careers!
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Most Americans during the colonial period lived in small villages or on farms. The size of farms varied widely, from small plots of land in New England to immense plantations in the South with thousands of acres.
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The history of the American people has been a great adventure in ideas and in trying to make these ideas a reality. Over the next few weeks, 60-Second Civics will explore the important philosophical ideas and historical events that influenced the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Center for Civic Education
Permanent campaigns are increasingly noticeable in the larger perpetual U.S. campaign cycle, which is largely driven by meta-campaign demands and media sensationalism. Learn more in our final episode with Dr. Diana Owen adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series available at learn.civiced.org.
Center for Civic Education
Today we begin a special series adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series, a free online course on the American political system that you can find at Learn.civiced.org. In this series, Dr. Diana Owen, a professor of political science and director and principal investigator of the Civic Education Research Lab at Georgetown University, explains some of the more complicated aspects of our political process: campaign finance. To start, we cover the cost and reasons for these increasing costs.
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What is birthright citizenship, and how might American citizenship change in the future? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains the concept of birthright citizenship and discusses ways that the concept of citizenship might change over time.
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How was segregation in public schools found to be unconstitutional? In this episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, which determined that separate schools for Black and White children was inherently unequal.
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What were civil rights at our country's founding? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the status of civil rights during America's founding period and how some Blacks responded to the Declaration of Independence and the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.
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Every day we make numerous choices in deciding what course of action will add to our well-being and what will make us happy. Making these choices is the pursuit of happiness. Learn more about this important concept in this podcast!
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In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson announced that every human being has andquot;certain unalienable rights,andquot; among which are those to andquot;life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.andquot; But what did Jefferson mean by andquot;the pursuit of happinessandquot;?
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One key to understanding andquot;inalienableandquot; rights--as distinguished from ordinary, andquot;alienableandquot; rights--is found by turning to one of Thomas Jefferson's rough drafts of the Declaration of Independence. Listen to learn more about the foundations of your rights that cannot be taken away!
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The Declaration of Independence states that andquot;all Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.andquot; But what does andquot;unalienable Rights,andquot; or as it was intended andquot;inalienable Rightsandquot; mean? Learn more in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
How does abortion relate to fundamental rights as viewed by both sides of the abortion debate? Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains how fundamental rights relate to the modern abortion debate. This is the fourth episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.
Center for Civic Education
How did American political parties evolve in the 1960s? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how both the Democratic and Republican political parties evolved due to the social changes of the 1960s.
Center for Civic Education
How did the modern two-party system begin to form? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the demise of the Whigs and the rise of today's dominant political parties in this episode of 60-Second Civics.
Center for Civic Education
What caused the rise of electioneering in the United States? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalist party split and examines the rise of Jacksonian democracy.
Center for Civic Education
How did political parties come about in the early American republic? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans came to be the first two political parties in the United States.
Center for Civic Education
What was the process of ratifying or rejecting the proposed plan of government after the 1787 convention? In this episode Dr. Lester Brooks, American history professor emeritus from Anne Arundel Community College, explains the process for ratifying the Constitution and the role played by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
Center for Civic Education
Of all the duties of citizens, perhaps none is more important than doing your part to ensure the healthy functioning of American constitutional democracy. What can you do to support the survival of our constitutional democracy? Find out today!
Center for Civic Education
A fundamental aspect of citizenship is participating in the civic affairs of the community and the nation. However, participation alone is not enough. It's important to participate in an informed, thoughtful, and effective manner. How do you do this? Find out in this episode!
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One key to fulfilling your responsibilities as an American citizen is to respect the value and human dignity of all people. This means treating other people with respect.
Center for Civic Education
Being a citizen of the United States means fulfilling certain personal, political, and economic responsibilities. Learn what these include and how you can take on these responsibilities in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
Today we launch a special series on the five civic dispositions of the National Assessment for Educational Progress Civics Framework. The first civic disposition stresses the importance of becoming an independent member of society. Listen for more!
Center for Civic Education
The American system of government is built on popular sovereignty. However, there have been times in our nation's history when the government did not pursue the common good. Part of being an active citizen is knowing when and how to challenge the system. Here are some principles that can help you.
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When you serve your country, you are promoting the common good; that is, the good of everyone in the United States. There are several ways to serve your country. Listen to learn a few!
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Elections have consequences. If you want a say in the political future of our nation, it is up to you to get involved. Luckily, there are many ways to accomplish this. Listen to learn how!
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Active citizenship means getting involved in the life of your community and nation so that you can help determine the country's future. But how do you do this? Find out more today!
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Most American citizens 18 years of age and older have the right to vote and choose our representatives who make our laws. But it is your obligation to cast an informed and responsible vote. Listen for more!
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During the 1960s the Supreme Court held that searches conducted without warrants are inherently unreasonable. By the 1970s the Court had recognized a number of exceptions to the warrant requirement. We cover a few examples of those exceptions in today's podcast.
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The Fourth Amendment protects people and their personal effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. It also requires applications for warrants to be supported by probable cause and requires a judge to decide whether probable cause exists. How do officials obtain warrants? We'll explain in today's episode.
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The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, but it seeks to strike a balance between the need for order and each individual's rights.
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The Fourth Amendment grew directly out of the American colonial experience. It protects against unreasonable searches and seizures by government officials.
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The protection against unreasonable search and seizure was in part a reaction against the general warrants issued by the British that so enraged American colonists in the prelude to the Revolution. The Fourth Amendment and state constitutions protect against unreasonable searches and seizures.
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General warrants were unpopular in the American colonies, where they were used to search for evidence of smuggling. In a five-hour speech in February 1761, James Otis spoke out against them, saying that they would andquot;totally annihilateandquot; the British common-law tradition that andquot;A man's house is his castle.andquot;
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General warrants allowed British officials to search people, businesses, homes, and property indiscriminately. British officials in the American colonies used such warrants to collect taxes, to recover stolen goods including -- enslaved people -- and to prosecute smugglers.
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Americans inherited from British history the principle that andquot;a man's home is his castle.andquot; This idea can be traced to the opinion of Sir Edward Coke in Semayne's Case in 1604.
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In today's podcast, we ask Justice Nakayama: What does a civic and constitutional education mean to you? And, why have you dedicated so many years to ensuring greater access to civics for more Americans?
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A well-informed citizenry is the cornerstone of our democracy, which is why Justice Nakayama believes it's essential for all Americans to learn about their roles and responsibilities as citizens.
Center for Civic Education
A well-informed citizenry is the cornerstone of our democracy, which is why Justice Nakayama believes it's essential for all Americans to learn about their roles and responsibilities as citizens.
Center for Civic Education
andquot;When you are a public servant, it is important to realize that you are indeed serving the public. I think about that all the time, and I consider it a higher calling.andquot; In our episode, Justice Nakayama shares her perspective on the value of public service.
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Today, we ask Justice Nakayama: What is it like to be one of the first women to serve on the Hawai'i Supreme Court and one of the few Asian American women serving as a state supreme court justice? While Justice Nakayama shares times in which she faced discrimination, she nonetheless believes that "being on the Supreme Court is an honor and a privilege."
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This episode is a rebroadcast from our interview series with then Associate Justice of the Hawai'i Supreme Court, Paula Nakayama. Justice Nakayama served on the Hawaii Supreme Court from 1993 until 2023. In our first episode, Justice Nakayama shares how a lot of hard work and a little luck helped her achieve one of the highest positions in the legal profession.
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Where did the idea of universal human equality, a common American idea, come from? Religious movements in colonial America helped spread the idea of universal moral human equality, including equality among social classes. Listen to today's podcast for more!
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In a recent episode, we discussed the origins of Americans' sense of political equality, but America's Founders also possessed a strong sense of moral equality. Indeed, the idea of the moral equality of human beings has ancient origins.
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The Declaration of Independence states that all men, meaning all people, are created equal. But where did this idea come from? Ideas of natural political equality were developed in seventeenth-century England and exported to its colonies across the North Atlantic. Learn more in today's episode!
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The Declaration of Independence states that among the andquot;truthsandquot; that Americans hold to be andquot;self-evidentandquot; is that andquot;all Men are created equal.andquot; But what did Thomas Jefferson mean by this statement?
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Thomas Jefferson said that his purpose in writing the Declaration of Independence was to express a shared understanding of andquot;the American mind.andquot; Over the course of a few days in June 1776, Jefferson laid out the most fundamental principles and central political beliefs of the American Revolution and of the people the Revolution created.
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Why did the writers of the Declaration of Independence andquot;hold these Truths to be self-evident?andquot; Among other things, these Americans were deeply influenced by the teachings of Christianity and English republicanism.
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The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence begins like this: andquot;We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.andquot; But what does andquot;We hold these truths to be self-evidentandquot; mean? We explain more in today's episode!
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Following the Boston Tea Party, the British government responded with what colonists called the Intolerable Acts, a series of Punitive Acts that, among other things, closed Boston Harbor to all trade.??Listen to today???s episode to learn more!
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Elections in the colonial era and in the early American republic were rather uncivilized compared to today's standards. Explore the differences between then and now in today's episode!
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In the American colonies, the right to vote followed the British model: only free adult males who owned a certain amount of property could vote, though there were limited exceptions to this rule. Listen to learn more!
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Voting rights in colonial America depended on the ownership of property. In other words, a person had to own a certain amount of land, livestock, or other property in order to qualify to vote. Listen to learn more!
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Each of the thirteen American colonies had some features of representative democracy that we still see today. For example, each of the colonies had a legislative, executive, and judicial branch. Learn more with today???s episode!
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Americans have had a tradition of written guarantees of rights since the time of the thirteen colonies. The Massachusetts Body of Liberties of 1641 provides a good example.
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Despite the presence of indentured servitude and slavery in colonial America, many Americans enjoyed written guarantees of their rights.
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Slavery was present in the thirteen American colonies since at least the early 1600s. Until slavery was abolished in the mid-nineteenth century, almost 12 million Africans were transported against their will to America. Listen to today's podcast to learn more about the foundations of slavery in the US.
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Land was plentiful in the thirteen American colonies, but labor was scarce. It was also expensive to sail from Britain to America. This reality created incentives for indentured servitude. Learn more about these colonists in today's episode!
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The mostly rural and agricultural southern colonies differed a great deal from both the New England and Middle Colonies. Learn how in today's episode!
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America's Middle Colonies included today's states of Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The Middle Colonies different in important ways from the New England colonies. Learn about these key differences in today's episode!
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The American colonies can be divided into three regions: New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies. At the time of American independence, in 1776, the New England colonies were Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Learn more about this group of colonies in today's episode!
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Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin was a Native American activist, attorney, and advocate of women's right to vote.
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After her trial for having voted in an 1872 election, Susan B. Anthony explained to the judge the implications of her conviction: "My natural rights, my civil rights, my political rights, are all alike ignored. Robbed of the fundamental privilege of citizenship, I am degraded from the status of a citizen to that of a subject." Today, women in Rochester, New York, cover her grave with "I Voted" stickers.
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In 1848, about 300 activists met in Seneca Falls, New York, for the first convention in the United States devoted to women's rights. They discussed Elizabeth Cady Stanton's proposed Declaration of Sentiments, which mirrored the language of the Declaration of Independence.
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Margaretta, Harriet, and Sarah Forten were three powerful African American campaigners for the abolition and women's rights movements. Harriet and Sarah married members of another prominent abolitionist family, the Purvises. Harriet and her husband Robert were involved in the Underground Railroad, and their home served as a refuge for people who had escaped slavery and as a meeting place for abolitionists.
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Fanny Wright was radical by the standards of her time. She was a writer and social activist who campaigned for equal rights for women, free and secular public education for both boys and girls, and the abolition of slavery, among other social and political issues. Wright was a fierce advocate of equality. She was friends with Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette, conversing with them about political philosophy, and she admired the American experiment with self-government.
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Mercy Otis Warren was a playwright, poet, historian, and Anti-Federalist political commentator during the American Revolution. She was a talented writer, admired for her skill and her dedication to the principles of natural rights behind the Revolution.
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Margaret Todd Whetten and her daughters provided food, clothing, and support to American prisoners in New York City, despite being called by one British jailer the "damndest rebels in New York." They provided a safe refuge for American spies in their home, saving them from capture and certain hanging. As as result, her house became known as the "rebel headquarters."
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Women served the American cause in many ways during the Revolutionary War, even as combatants.
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At the start of the American Revolution, women patriots organized into a group known as the Daughters of Liberty. Like their male counterparts, the Sons of Liberty, women took action, such as boycotts, to protest British policies. For example, they replace imported British tea with "liberty tea," made from leaves, herbs, fruits, and flowers, like goldenrod. Without women's adherence to the boycotts, they would not have been effective.
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Despite being known as the "War Woman of Chota," Nanye'hi, also known as Nancy Ward, was a Cherokee woman who would work for much of her life to ensure peace between the Cherokees and the Americans, while attempting to prevent the further seizure of Cherokee land.
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Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, escaped slavery in a way that was unusual: she took her case to court. She approached lawyer Theodore Sedgwick with this question: "I heard that paper read yesterday that says 'all men are born equal,' and that every man has a right to freedom ... won't the law give me my freedom?" Appealing to her natural rights and her rights under the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, she sued for her freedom and won.
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Ona Judge escaped George and Martha Washington's household, where she was an enslaved housemaid, and made her way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she eluded George Washington's determined attempts to capture her. She made a new life for herself in New Hampshire, marrying and having three children. Her side of her remarkable story survives because she gave interviews to at least two abolitionist newspapers.
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A married woman living during the American colonial era would have lived under the legal doctrine called "coverture," where her legal identity was subsumed under that of her husband. William Blackstone wrote, "By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in the law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least is incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband: under whose wing, protection, and cover, she performs every thing." This was governed by colonial law before independence and state law after independence. It would not change substantially after the Revolution in most states, but divorce and child custody laws would change.
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What was the impact on women and on voting rights of the 1875 case of Minor v. Happersett? Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of American history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the 1875 Supreme Court Case of Minor v. Happersett and its importance for the women's suffrage movement. This is the third episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.
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What was the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and how does it relate to the Declaration of Independence? In this episode, Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the historical significance of the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments.
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This is the first episode in our series on women's rights as part of our Civil Discourse and American Legacy Project. Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the significance of the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848.
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How did the modern two-party system begin to form? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the demise of the Whigs and the rise of today's dominant political parties in this episode of 60-Second Civics.
Center for Civic Education
What caused the rise of electioneering in the United States? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalist party split and examines the rise of Jacksonian democracy.
Center for Civic Education
How did political parties come about in the early American republic? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans came to be the first two political parties in the United States.
Center for Civic Education
What are the functions of political parties? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains four functions of political parties in this episode of 60-Second Civics.
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What was the process of ratifying or rejecting the proposed plan of government after the 1787 convention? In this episode Dr. Lester Brooks, American history professor emeritus from Anne Arundel Community College, explains the process for ratifying the Constitution and the role played by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
Center for Civic Education
Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how separation of powers was a major issue at the Philadelphia Convention, which drafted the new Constitution for the United States.
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The American colonists came from a variety of countries and for various economic, religious, and social reasons. Learn more about the diverse group that came to settle in the colonies with today's episode!
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The American colonists were not the first people on the North American continent. Native Americans had lived on the continent for at least 24,000 years. Listen to today's episode to learn a little more about Native Americans during colonial times!
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Many new arrivals to the American colonies found it to be a land of opportunity. Americans were a hardworking people and had the highest standard of living in the world.
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Who were the American Founders? Learn more about some of the people who laid the groundwork for the American system of representative government.
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The American Founders drew on a number of basic ideas and experiences to create the kind of government they believed would best protect the natural rights of Americans and promote the common good. Get introduced to some of the Founders in today's episode!
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The history of the American people has been a great adventure in ideas and in trying to make these ideas a reality. Over the next few weeks, 60-Second Civics will explore the important philosophical ideas and historical events that influenced the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Center for Civic Education
How did American political parties evolve in the 1960s? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how both the Democratic and Republican political parties evolved due to the social changes of the 1960s.
Center for Civic Education
How did the modern two-party system begin to form? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the demise of the Whigs and the rise of today's dominant political parties in this episode of 60-Second Civics.
Center for Civic Education
What caused the rise of electioneering in the United States? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalist party split and examines the rise of Jacksonian democracy.
Center for Civic Education
How did political parties come about in the early American republic? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans came to be the first two political parties in the United States.
Center for Civic Education
What are the functions of political parties? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains four functions of political parties in this episode of 60-Second Civics.
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In this extended bonus episode of the podcast, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, provides a detailed account of the struggle for civil rights for Black Americans from the founding period to today.
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How was segregation in public schools found to be unconstitutional? In this episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, which determined that separate schools for Black and White children was inherently unequal.
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How did the Reconstruction Amendments change the nation? In this episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.
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Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains andquot;What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?, andquot; an 1852 speech by abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who himself had one been enslaved.
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Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the status of civil rights during America's founding period and how some Blacks responded to the Declaration of Independence and the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.
Center for Civic Education
Why has Congress adopted a passing the buck and pointing the finger strategy when it comes to enacting legislation for certain responsibilities? Find out in this episode!
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The balance of power shifted from Congress to the presidency during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt and has remained there to this day. Learn what factors lead to this shift in this episode!
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The balance of power shifted from Congress to the presidency during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt and has remained there to this day. Learn what factors lead to this shift in this episode!
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Even the placement and design of the three branches of government in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., provides physical evidence of the Founders' intent that Congress dominate the national government. Listen to learn more!
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Evidence that the Framers intended to create a predominant Congress is apparent by how they bestowed the branch with the power to impeach the president and other high officials in the national government. Learn more in this episode!
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The Framers of the Constitution intended Congress to be the dominant branch of the national government. Why was that? Listen to learn more!
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The Framers of the Constitution created a system of separated and shared powers and checks and balances to limit and control the use of power by governmental institutions and to prevent the possibility of tyranny. Learn more of each branch's ability to check the use of power by the other institutions in this episode!
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The Framers of the Constitution wanted to prevent a tyrannical executive in the presidency and a tyranny of a majority in Congress. But they were also careful to limit the power of the courts. Learn how in today's episode!
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The Framers of the Constitution made each branch of the national government share some of its primary responsibilities and powers with one or more of the other branches. For example, the president and the executive branch have the primary responsibility for carrying out and enforcing laws. Learn more!
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The Framers of the Constitution wanted to limit the power of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the national government. So, they made each of them share some of its primary responsibilities and accompanying powers with one or more of the other branches. Listen for more!
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The Framers of the Constitution were concerned about two things: first, the emergence of a tyrannical executive in the presidency and second, a tyranny of a majority in Congress. Learn how they designed a system of government to address these concerns in this episode.
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Which branch of the federal government has the most power? We explore the intentions of the Framers for how power was to be distributed among the branches in this episode!
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Today we begin a special series of podcasts to examine the question of whether power in the federal government is appropriately balanced between Congress and the executive and judicial branches. We will also learn how power has shifted from Congress to the executive and judicial branches of government and consider the implications of this shift.
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Many of our choices have social consequences and therefore have a civic dimension when they enhance or subtract from public happiness. Thus the pursuit of happiness must refer both to public and to private happiness.
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Every day we make numerous choices in deciding what course of action will add to our well-being and what will make us happy. Making these choices is the pursuit of happiness. Learn more about this important concept in this podcast!
Center for Civic Education
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson announced that every human being has andquot;certain unalienable rights,andquot; among which are those to andquot;life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.andquot; But what did Jefferson mean by andquot;the pursuit of happinessandquot;?
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The Declaration of Independence states that andquot;all Men are...endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.andquot; But what does andquot;unalienable Rights,andquot; or, as it was intended, andquot;inalienable Rightsandquot; mean? Learn more in this episode!
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The American Founders possessed a strong sense of moral equality. Indeed, the idea of the moral equality of human beings has ancient origins. Listen to today's episode for more!
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The Declaration of Independence states that among the andquot;truthsandquot; that Americans hold to be andquot;self-evidentandquot; is that andquot;all Men are created equal.andquot; But what was meant by this statement? Learn more today!
Center for Civic Education
Thomas Jefferson said that his purpose in writing the Declaration of Independence was to express a shared understanding of the American mind. Learn more about this term and its significance today!
Center for Civic Education
That andquot;all Men are created equalandquot; and andquot;endowed by their Creator with Certain unalienable Rightsandquot; was self-evident to Americans at the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Why was this? Learn more about the foundations of our self-evident truths.
Center for Civic Education
Independence Day is a time to remember and appreciate our heritage of a democratic form of government and to reflect on our country's fundamental principles.
Center for Civic Education
The Declaration of Independence announced the final, momentous step in the colonists' resistance to the British government by rejecting the sovereignty, or authority, of the Crown. Learn more about the Declaration in today's episode!
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In this extended episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains in more detail topics of women's rights from the previous five episodes. Dr. Tetrault covers the Seneca Falls Convention, the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments, the role of Frederick Douglass, and the Equal Rights Amendment, among other topics. This is the sixth episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.
Center for Civic Education
Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the Equal Rights Amendment. This is the fifth episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.
Center for Civic Education
Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains how fundamental rights are cited by both sides of the abortion debate. This is the fourth episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.
Center for Civic Education
Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of American history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the 1875 Supreme Court Case of Minor v. Happersett and its importance for the women's suffrage movement. This is the third episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.
Center for Civic Education
Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and how it is related to the U.S. Declaration of Independence. This is the second episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse and American Legacy Project.
Center for Civic Education
This is the first episode in our series on women's rights as part of our Civil Discourse and American Legacy Project. Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the significance of the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848.
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Bonus extended content! For the first time ever, 60-Second Civics is offering our listeners a bonus, long-form interview with a guest. In this extra-in-depth episode of the podcast, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, describes historical challenges with the development of factions and the two-party system of the United States.
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How did today's split between conservatives and liberals begin to take shape in the twentieth century. In this video, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how today's modern political landscape began to take shape as a reaction to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal policies and the civil rights movement and other changes of the 1960s.
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Do you know how the modern Republican party formed? In this interview, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the runup to the Civil War defined today's Republican and Democratic parties.
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Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how a crisis helped spur the creation of a new political party during the Andrew Jackson administration.
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In this episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, speaks about the origins of political parties in the United States, which began with the very first American presidential administration: that of George Washington.
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In today's episode, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the basic functions of political parties in the American political system.
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In this video, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Framers of the Constitution thought about fundamental principles embodied in the Constitution.
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In this video, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Framers of the Constitution thought about fundamental principles embodied in the Constitution.
Center for Civic Education
In this episode, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains a critical issue at the Philadelphia Convention: how the states would be represented in government.
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Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how separation of powers was a major issue at the Philadelphia Convention, which drafted the new Constitution for the United States.
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Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, describes some of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and explains why the Framers intended to amend it.
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There's a number of questions that surround the rights of transgender Americans and surround the rights of other parts of the LGBTQ spectrum that are going to continue to be very important when it comes to this particular social justice movement.
Center for Civic Education
There's a long history of federal cases, like Romer v. Evans and Lawrence v. Texas, that eventually lead up to Windsor v. U.S. as well as Obergefell v. Hodges, which are really the federal Supreme Court marriage equality cases that all really focus on two particular elements of the U.S. constitution.
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Just like we see earlier in the courts, and we see in the legislatures, the executive branch plays a crucial role in the LGBTQ rights movement, particularly when it comes to marriage equality.
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Like the courts' role, the legislative branch has played a pivotal role in the LGBTQ rights movement. New York, one of the nation's largest states, was a site for an early legislative victory, and that legislation set a standard for legislative action around the country.
Center for Civic Education
Why was the 2003 Massachusetts decision in Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health such an important moment, particularly when it comes to the role of courts in social justice movements? Find out more from Christopher R. Riano about this critical court case in the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
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We're joined again today by Christopher R. Riano, the president of the Center for Civic Education and co-author, with William Eskridge, of Marriage Equality: From Outlaws to In-laws, winner of the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award. We ask him: What were some early LGBTQ+ rights questions that the community faced, particularly following what happened at Stonewall?
Center for Civic Education
What were the Stonewall Riots and why are they seen as such an important milestone in the LGBTQ+ rights movement? Find out today as we launch a special weeklong series of LGBTQ+ Pride Week podcasts with our special guest, Christopher R. Riano, the president of the Center for Civic Education and co-author, along with William Eskridge, of Marriage Equality: From Outlaws to In-laws.
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These final pieces of the Bill of Rights deal with crime, punishment, and states rights. Listen to learn more!
Center for Civic Education
Your right to an attorney, a fair trial, and more in these two amendments.
Center for Civic Education
These Constitutional Amendments help protect the rights of those convicted of a crime
Center for Civic Education
Today, December 15th, is Bill of Rights day! In recognition of this day, we start a new series exploring the first ten amendments of the Constitution and what they mean. Listen for more!
Center for Civic Education
How do donations affect members of Congress' policy positions? Listen as Dr. Diana Owen shares about the effect that this funding has on representatives legislative actions in this episode adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series available at learn.civiced.org.
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Continuing our new campaign finance series adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series, available at learn.civiced.org, we ask Dr. Diana Owen: where does the money come from to run a political campaign? Listen to learn more!
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The Declaration of Independence made arguments based on human equality and government by consent, among other things. Listen to learn more about these important concepts!
Center for Civic Education
The Declaration of Independence contains ideas and arguments for independence that can be divided into several categories: natural rights, human equality, government by consent, the andquot;long train of abusesandquot; by King George III, and finally, the right to revolution. Listen for more!
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The Declaration of Independence announced the final, momentous step in the colonists??? resistance to the British government by rejecting the sovereignty, or authority, of the Crown.??Learn more about this declaration in today's episode!
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The battles of Lexington and Concord began the war between America and Britain. In August 1775 Britain declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion. Within a year, the Americans would officially declare their independence. Listen to learn more about this evolution!
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By 1774 many of the more radical colonists were beginning to prepare for war against Great Britain.?? These colonists formed civilian militias. On April 19, 1775, some 700 British troops tried to march to Concord, Massachusetts. Listen for more!
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Colonists formed committees of correspondence to publicize colonial opposition and coordinate resistance. In 1774 colonies sent representatives to Philadelphia to discuss potential responses to the British government.??The meeting was called the First Continental Congress.??
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Controversial at the time, lawyer and later president John Adams defended the British soldiers and their captain following the Boston Massacre. Learn more about his motivation for doing this in today's episode!
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After repealing the hated Stamp Act in 1766, the British Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, asserting Great Britain's full power and authority over the American colonies. In response a group of American women calling themselves the Daughters of Liberty led boycotts of English goods. Listen for more!
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The Townshend Acts are a now-infamous group of duties passed by Parliament in June 1767. They levied new taxes on items imported from Britain, which came with significant consequences. Learn more in today's episode!
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The Stamp Act Congress was held in October 1765 in New York to coordinate colonial resistance to the unpopular Stamp Act, which required nearly every important document printed in the colonies to be taxed. Hear more about this significant occurrence in today's episode!
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Opposition to the Stamp Act prompted American colonists to organize. The Sons of Liberty was one group created to resist the Stamp Act inspired by the words of Isaac Barre. Learn more about this group in today's episode!
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The British Parliament passed two highly unpopular laws in 1765: the Stamp Act and the Quartering Act. Listen to today's episode to learn more about these influential acts!
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The American colonists were already unhappy with the British about the Proclamation of 1763. But then they took another step that angered Americans. In 1764, Parliament passed the Sugar Act. Learn more in today's episode!
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For more than 150 years before 1776, the American colonists had grown used to little direct interference by Parliament in colonial affairs. This policy was known as andquot;salutary neglect,andquot; but changes to this policy would initiate the focus of our series: The Road to Independence!
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In our final episode with Dr. Holly White of Colonial Williamsburg, we ask her what kind of political power did American women possess during the Early Republican period? Listen to learn more!
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Women played an integral role in the American Revolution. Listen in this episode as Dr. Holly White from Colonial Williamsburg explains what these roles looked like and how they influenced the Revolution.
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In our next episode with Dr. Holly White of Colonial Williamsburg, we ask her: who was Sally New River, and why should Americans know about her? 60-Second Civics, Episode 4850: March 30, 2023 Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics The show???s theme song is ???Complacent??? by Cheryl B. Engelhardt. You can find Cheryl online at cbemusic.com. SC map: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/districts-to-counties.htm Catawba Nation: https://cma.sc.gov/catawba-indian-nation
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In this episode, Dr. Holly White discusses Mehetabel Chandler Coit and how does her work help us understand women???s daily lives during the early colonial period. Listen for more!
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In today's episode, Dr. Holly White of Colonial Williamsburg discusses the practice of coverture and how it affected the lives of women in the American colonies. Listen to learn what this term means and more!
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After European colonization, the lives of Indigenous women would have varied greatly depending on their tribe, where they lived, and their interactions with European colonists. Learn more in this episode!
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We are once again joined by Dr. Holly White, an expert on the history of gender, age, and family in early America. Today, she speaks about how, during the colonial era, Black women resisted slavery and oppression and the varying ways they approached it.
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By the time that the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in the United States in 1920, a number of other countries or states within them had secured women's suffrage. Learn more about suffrage worldwide in this episode!
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In 1917, women called the Sentinels of Liberty formed a twenty-four-hour vigil around Woodrow Wilson's White House. Learn more about why they did this in today's episode!
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The political struggle for women's suffrage was not without its dangers and difficulties, as illustrated by events in 1913. Learn about the events at the women's suffrage parade in this episode!
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Many organizations were founded to address state- and nation-wide suffrage efforts, including the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869 and National Woman's Party in 1917. Listen to learn more!
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The constitutional amendments that followed the Civil War fractured the women's movement. Indeed, debate over the Fifteenth Amendment reopened the suffrage and gender issue, splitting the women's movement. Listen for more!
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Throughout the late 1800s, women advocated for the right to vote, including famous suffragist Susan B. Anthony. Learn more about the steps toward women's suffrage in the 1800s in this episode!
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After being banned from the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London because of their gender, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton translated their outrage into organizing the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Learn more about this convention in today's episode!
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The course of the nineteenth century saw the emerging role of women outside the home and the founding and growth of women's organizations devoted to addressing the most pressing public issues of the day. Listen for more!
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By the end of the 19th century and first decades of the next, the economic roles of significant numbers of women had undergone marked transformation. Learn more about this change in this episode!
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The Nineteenth Amendment, which was ratified August 1920, secured women's right to vote in all elections: local, state, and national.
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Redlining is a discriminatory practice that withholds financial and other services, which prevents ethnic and racial minorities from, among other things, purchasing homes. Redlining's systemic practices have been traced back to the 1930s but still presents a problem today. Listen to learn more!
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Throughout history, artists have made it their civic duty to contribute to social change, including Billie Holiday with andquot;Strange Fruit,andquot; which brought attention to the unfair and unconstitutional lynchings of African American men and women. Listen to learn more from Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris!
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Although the Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been called “the most successful civil rights law in history,” one of its key provisions, Section 5, was challenged in the Supreme Court in 2013. Learn how the Shelby County v. Holder changed this civil rights legislation in this episode!
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The Civil Rights Act of 1964 remains the most far-reaching civil rights legislation in American history. However, it was preceded by three other major civil rights acts that helped this landmark legislation succeed. Listen to learn more!
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Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, using its constitutional power under Article I to regulate interstate commerce so that it could regulate private activities as well as state action. Learn more about how this legislation came about in this episode!
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In the spring of 1963 civil rights leaders organized public demonstrations throughout the South in which young people often were prominent. Learn more about how the civil rights movement gained momentum.
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Violence plagued the South in the years following desegregation.
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The Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education held that segregation by law to be illegal in public schools. However, that decision implied that all segregation laws violated the guarantee of equal protection of the laws. Learn more about the implications of the decision in this episode!
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The struggle for civil rights in the 1900s was born out of responses to discrimination in the United States. Discrimination based on race has its roots in racial separation, known as segregation. In this episode we discuss both de jure and de facto forms of segregation in the United States.
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Today we ask Dr. Ross-Norris: Why is civic education important?
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While in college, Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris took a trip to Ghana that gave her and her classmates the opportunity to explore another culture and connect with their heritage. Listen to learn more about her experience!
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Throughout her life, Dr. Ross-Norris has interacted with several prominent civil rights leaders, including Dr. Dorothy Height and Rev. Fauntroy. Learn more how these figures inspired the next generation of civil rights leaders in today's episode.
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Maya Angelou, an African American poet and civil rights activist, used her artistic abilities to communicate the Black experience and serve as an instrument for others to understand African American culture. Listen as Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris recounts her interactions with Maya Angelou in today's episode!
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In today's episode, Dr. Ross-Norris talks about the Tuskegee Airmen, a group her father belonged to and who taught her important lessons about civics and being an American.
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In February, we celebrate Black History Month. Today we ask Dr. Ross-Norris: Why should all Americans learn about the African American experience? Listen to learn why!
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This week, we are joined by a very special guest, Vicki Ross-Norris, an actress, educator, and member of the Center for Civic Education's board of directors. In our first episode, we ask her: Given that many of the Framers of the Constitution were slaveholders, how should Americans think about our nation's founding?
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Constitutionalism is the use of constitutions to limit government by law. Learn more about constitutions in this episode!
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What three characteristics must elections in a democracy possess? Find out on today's podcast.
Center for Civic Education
Democracy can be defined as rule by the people through free and fair elections. Learn more about the central role of the governed in this episode!
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Democracy originated more than 2,400 years ago in ancient Greece. The word democracy means rule by the people. Learn more about what this means in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
Political authority is the right to make and enforce binding rules known as laws. While political power is the ability to persuade others to follow the policies of those who hold power, authority adds legitimacy to the exercise of this power. Learn more in this episode!
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What is authority? What is the difference between authority and power? Learn about this difference in today's episode!
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Today on the podcast we begin a series that explores the basic elements of democracy. We begin with a look at politics which is found wherever people live together. Listen for more!
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In light of criticisms raised in the previous episode, we explore why people support civil disobedience as method for justice.
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While civil disobedience was promoted by many, critics argue that civil disobedience is never justified because it is an attack on constitutional democracy. Learn more about these criticisms in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
Participants in the struggles against slavery, the woman suffrage movement, and the civil rights movement all used civil disobedience to advocate change. This brief series on civil disobedience, we start by discussing the prominent figures in promoting civil disobedience throughout modern history.
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In our final episode of this special series, we discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s sixth principle of nonviolence that the universe is on the side of justice. King believed that every person who believes in nonviolent resistance believes somehow that the universe in some form is on the side of justice. Learn more about this final principle in this episode!
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In our fifth episode, we discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s next principle of nonviolence that nonviolence chooses love instead of hate. King emphasized that nonviolence meant not only renouncing physical violence, but also the avoidance of hatred what he called the internal violence of the spirit. Listen for more!
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In this episode, we discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s fourth principle of nonviolence—that nonviolence educates and reforms. King believed that the experience of acting nonviolently in the face of injustice transformed people. Learn more about this principle in this episode!
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Today we discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s third principle of nonviolence: that nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
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Today we discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s second principle of nonviolence: nonviolence seeks reconciliation.
Center for Civic Education
On today's episode, we begin our discussion of Martin Luther King Jr.'s six principles of nonviolence.
Center for Civic Education
The Bill of Rights was not initially received with enthusiasm. It caused bitter disagreements among both Federalists and Anti-Federalists. It had little effect on the lives of most Americans, whose day-to-day existence was impacted more by their state government rather than the national government.
Center for Civic Education
In addition to those rights protected in the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, the body of the U.S. Constitution and subsequent amendments also protect many rights.
Center for Civic Education
The Third Amendment was written in response to the Quartering Act of 1765, which was a British law authorizing colonial governors to requisition certain buildings, including parts of people's homes, for housing British troops.
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Today we explain how the Second Amendment has been interpreted by the courts. The Second Amendment is a good example of both positive and negative rights in the Bill of Rights. Positive rights require government to act in specified ways, whereas negative rights restrict government action.
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Positive rights require government to act in specified ways, but negative rights restrict government action.
Center for Civic Education
Economic rights are associated with ownership. Examples include choosing the work one wants to do, acquiring and disposing of property, entering into contracts. Political rights address political participation, such as voting and supporting particular candidates for office.
Center for Civic Education
The idea that humans are autonomous, self-governing individuals with fundamental rights is central to natural rights philosophy.
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Rights may be held by individuals, classes or categories of individuals, or institutions. The emphasis on the rights of individuals is reflected in natural rights philosophy, exemplified in the Declaration of Independence.
Center for Civic Education
The Virginia Declaration of Rights described how representative government should be organized, limited the power of government, and informed the creation of our Bill of Rights.
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Virginia was the first state to include a bill of rights in its constitution. Learn more about the significance of this document for present rights in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
The English Bill of Rights of 1689 was passed by Parliament, which means that Parliament can change it at any time. The American Bill of Rights, in contrast, is part of the U.S. Constitution, which is much more difficult to change, as are states' bills of rights.
Center for Civic Education
The struggle between the rights of the people and the power of government to deny those rights is one of the great themes of human history. This episode of 60-Second Civics explores two documents that limited the power of government in English history: the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights. These documents significantly influenced American conceptions of the limitations on the power of government.
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These final pieces of the Bill of Rights deal with crime, punishment, and states rights. Listen to learn more!
Center for Civic Education
Your right to an attorney, a fair trial, and more in these two amendments.
Center for Civic Education
These Constitutional Amendments help protect the rights of those convicted of a crime
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These three Constitutional amendments protect some of our most fundamental rights as citizens.
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Today, December 15th, is Bill of Rights day! In recognition of this day, we start a new series exploring the first ten amendments of the Constitution and what they mean. Listen for more!
Center for Civic Education
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists disagreed over whether a bill of rights is needed for the Constitution and debated the idea heavily. Learn more about what they considered in creating the Bill of Rights in this episode!
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One area of contention between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists was over the question of whether the Constitution would maintain republican government. Learn more about what they debated over in this episode!
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Both the Federalists and Anti-Federalists made many arguments for and against the Constitution. However, the most intense arguments were about three basic issues. Listen to learn about these issues!
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Meet the Federalists: The people who supported ratifying the Constitution. Learn more about their positions and decisions regarding the Constitution in this episode!
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James Madison developed a plan to have the Constitution approved by voters at special conventions to be held in each state. Madison thought that the Constitution would be rejected if Congress or the state legislatures were asked to ratify it. Learn more about ratification in this episode!
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James Madison was afraid that the Constitution would be rejected if either the Congress or the state legislatures were asked to ratify it.To avoid rejection, Madison developed a plan. Listen to learn more about this plan!
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In the final episode of our Native American Heritage Month Series, Terry Mason Moore, enrolled member of the Osage tribe, discusses current and future issues facing Native American communities and all Americans today. Listen for more!
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Native Americans are citizens of three governments: Their tribe, their state, and the United States. Learn more about the history and dynamics of Native American citizenship from the Center for Civic Education's board member, Terry Mason Moore.
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According to Terry Mason Moore, enrolled member of the Osage Nation, Native cultures are vibrant and living cultures with a long history of interaction and engagement with the non-native people of the United States. Learn more about how these cultures enrich all peoples in our nation!
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In continuing our Native American Heritage Month series, we are joined by a very special guest, Terry Mason Moore, an enrolled member of the Osage Nation, an attorney, and a member of the Center of Civic Education Board of Directors. In this episode, she discusses what National Native American Heritage Month entails and its importance.
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In 1968 several hundred members of Native American tribes met to discuss issues affecting their communities.??The American Indian Movement, or AIM, emerged out of this meeting, which has set the stage for more modern activism among Native Americans today. Listen for more!
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Several hundred Native American tribes in the United States are currently seeking official tribal recognition from the federal government, a process that often takes decades to complete. Federal recognition is important for tribes because it formally establishes a government-to-government relationship. Learn more in this episode!
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The national government policy vacillated between respecting the sovereignty of Native American tribes and seeking to dismantle tribal governments and to integrate their members into the United States. Listen for more!
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The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 extended the right to vote to all Native Americans, but many encountered obstacles to voting, serving on juries, and giving testimony in courts. Learn more about how these obstacles were removed in this episode!
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While Native Americans were original not granted citizenship in the U.S., the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 extended the right to vote to all Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States. Learn more about how this change came about in this episode!
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The Framers of the Constitution considered Native Americans to be members of their tribes, which they considered foreign nations. Thus, they denied them citizenship and the right to vote. Learn more about how this set a foundation for future relations in this episode!
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Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin was a Native American activist, attorney, and advocate of women's right to vote. Learn more about her life and work in our latest Native American Heritage Month episode!
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Why did the writers of the Declaration of Independence andquot;hold these Truths to be self-evident?andquot; Among other things, these Americans were deeply influenced by the teachings of Christianity and English republicanism.
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Despite the presence of indentured servitude and slavery in colonial America, many Americans enjoyed written guarantees of their rights.
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Ratifying the Constitution was no easy task. It took several compromises, primarily between Federalists and Anti-Federalists, to reach a document that all the original states could agree upon. Learn about the rough road to ratification in this podcast.
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Today we launch a special series on the five civic dispositions of the National Assessment for Educational Progress Civics Framework. The first civic disposition stresses the importance of becoming an independent member of society. Listen for more!
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Elections have consequences. If you want a say in the political future of our nation, it is up to you to get involved. Luckily, there are many ways to accomplish this. Listen to learn how!
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Active citizenship means getting involved in the life of your community and nation so that you can help determine the country's future. But how do you do this? Find out more today!
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Most American citizens 18 years of age and older have the right to vote and choose our representatives who make our laws. But it is your obligation to cast an informed and responsible vote. Listen for more!
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The online world is unfortunately full of people who would love to compromise your device and use it for their own purposes. So what can you do to stay secure online? Learn some simple tips today!
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The internet and social media can be great places to spend your time, but they also present certain dangers, especially for young people. It???s up to you to be aware of your own personal safety online, but there are a few commonsense recommendations that can help. Listen for these tips!
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When you use digital technology, much of your personal information is collected by the companies that run them. You have a right to privacy, but you should also take steps to protect yourself. Listen for more!
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An important part of digital citizenship is taking responsibility for your actions on digital platforms.??Part of this is knowing when to engage and when to pull back. Today we share some simple tips for acting with responsibility online!
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A big part of digital citizenship is doing the right thing online; that is, respecting yourself and everyone else you interact with. Learn how to do this in this episode!
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Young people today face a few unique challenges interacting with digital media. Our new series unpacks how to safely navigate these challenges while ensuring all rights are respected and that everyone is acting with responsibility.
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The American Founders studied ancient Greek and Roman philosophers to learn about how to create the best form of government. Classical political philosophers taught that human beings are, by nature, social creatures.
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In the more than 150 years of European settlement of the British North American colonies, by 1776 Americans had developed many different ways of organizing local governments. Listen to learn more about self-government in this episode!
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The American Founders drew on a number of basic ideas and experiences to create the kind of government they believed would best protect the natural rights of Americans and promote the common good. Get introduced to some of the Founders in this episode!
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The history of the American people has been a great adventure in ideas and in trying to make these ideas a reality. Over the next few weeks, 60-Second Civics will explore the important philosophical ideas and historical events that influenced the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
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Why has Congress adopted a passing the buck and pointing the finger strategy when it comes to enacting legislation for certain responsibilities? Find out in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
The balance of power shifted from Congress to the presidency during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt and has remained there to this day. Learn what factors lead to this shift in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
From the establishment of our government under the Constitution until Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration in the 1930s, Congress dominated the national government. But then power started to shift toward the executive branch. Learn more in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
Even the placement and design of the three branches of government in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., provides physical evidence of the Founders' intent that Congress dominate the national government. Listen to learn more!
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Evidence that the Framers intended to create a predominant Congress is apparent by how they bestowed the branch with the power to impeach the president and other high officials in the national government. Learn more in this episode!
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The Framers of the Constitution intended Congress to be the dominant branch of the national government.??Why was that? Listen to learn more!
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That andquot;all Men are created equalandquot; and andquot;endowed by their Creator with Certain unalienable Rightsandquot; was self-evident to Americans at the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Why was this? Learn more about the foundations of our self-evident truths.
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Just like we see earlier in the courts, and we see in the legislatures, the executive branch plays a crucial role in the LGBTQ rights movement, particularly when it comes to marriage equality.
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We're joined again today by Christopher R. Riano, the president of the Center for Civic Education and co-author, with William Eskridge, of Marriage Equality: From Outlaws to In-laws, winner of the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award. We ask him: What were some early LGBTQ+ rights questions that the community faced, particularly following what happened at Stonewall?
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Of all the duties of citizens, perhaps none is more important than doing your part to ensure the healthy functioning of American constitutional democracy. What can you do to support the survival of our constitutional democracy? Find out today!
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Being a citizen of the United States means fulfilling certain personal, political, and economic responsibilities. Learn what these include and how you can take on these responsibilities in this episode!
Center for Civic Education
The online world is unfortunately full of people who would love to compromise your device and use it for their own purposes. So what can you do to stay secure online? Learn some simple tips today!
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When you use digital technology, much of your personal information is collected by the companies that run them. You have a right to privacy, but you should also take steps to protect yourself. Listen for more!
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An important part of digital citizenship is taking responsibility for your actions on digital platforms. Part of this is knowing when to engage and when to pull back. Today we share some simple tips for acting with responsibility online!
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What does it mean to participate fully in digital civic life? One factor to consider is whether all Americans have equal access to digital technology. But what barriers exist? Listen to learn more!
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Smartphones and other digital devices make it easy to buy things quickly, but it's important to protect yourself when shopping online. Learn strategies for shopping smart online in today's episode!
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A big part of digital citizenship is doing the right thing online; that is, respecting yourself and everyone else you interact with. Learn how to do this in today's episode!
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Today's young people face a few unique challenges interacting with digital media. Our new series unpacks how to safely navigate these challenges while ensuring everyone's rights are respected and that everyone is acting with responsibility.
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George Washington strongly supported the principle that the military is subordinate to civilian government. Listen to learn more about his support for civilian control of the government!
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Washington never lost sight of the fact that his authority came from Congress, and that the purpose of the army was to carry out the will of the civil government, especially with confronted with the Newburgh Conspiracy. Learn more in today's episode!
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As a soldier, George Washington demonstrated enough courage and decisiveness to command troops during several military actions. Listen to learn more!
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On today's podcast, we begin a short series on George Washington, who was perhaps the most influential leader in the creation of the American nation. Listen for more!
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In the final episode of our series with Dr. Scott Casper, we ask him what are the strengths and weaknesses of a government with separated branches vs. a parliamentary system?
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While the Constitution is now the respected foundational document for the United States, we ask Dr. Casper: What were the principal objections of opponents of the Constitution?
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Why did the Founders spend more time dealing with the legislative branch than the executive branch? Find out in today's episode from the We the People Open Course featuring Dr. Scott Casper.
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In this episode, Dr. Scott Casper of the American Antiquarian Society assesses the system of separated and shared powers created in the U.S. Constitution.
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In the third part of the video, Dr. Scott Casper discusses the final type of electoral process pondered by the Framers: the Electoral College. Listen for more!
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In the second of three parts, Dr. Scott Casper discusses the second type of electoral process pondered by the Framers: Election by Congress. Listen for more!
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In the first of three parts, Dr. Scott Casper discusses the first type of electoral process pondered by the Framers: Election by the people. Listen for more!
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What questions did the Framers address in designing the judicial branch? Check out more interviews with Dr. Scott Casper in Unit 2 of the We the People Open Course, a free online course on the U.S. Constitution at Learn.civiced.org.
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What questions did the Framers address in designing the executive branch? Check out more interviews with Dr. Scott Casper in Unit 2 of the We the People Open Course, a free online course on the U.S. Constitution at Learn.civiced.org.
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We are once again joined by Dr. Scott Casper in an adapted series from the We the People Open Course, available at learn.civiced.org. Today we ask him: what questions did the Framers address in organizing the legislative branch?
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Today we kick off a special series adapted from the We the People Open Course, a free online course on the U.S. Constitution that you can find at Learn.civiced.org. We're joined by Dr. Scott Casper, president of the American Antiquarian Society. To start, we ask him: What questions did the Framers consider when designing the three branches of the national government?
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By the time of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865, the Civil War was winding down. Learn more about his hopes for a just and a lasting peace after the war!
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Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, given on November 19, 1863, recognized the central importance of founding-era principles to the meaning and destiny of America. Learn more about this famous address in this episode!
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Abraham Lincoln tried to revive and renew political principles that defined America at its birth in 1776 throughout his political career. Listen to learn more!
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While Lincoln justified his Emancipation Proclamation as an act of military necessity, he understood that a constitutional amendment was required to abolish slavery immediately and everywhere in the United States. Learn more in this episode!
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On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln publicly announced his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. It warned the Confederate rebels that unless they rejoined the Union, a final proclamation would free all slaves within the seceded states. Listen to learn more!
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After winning the 1860 presidential election, Lincoln repeated his long-held opposition to slavery. However, he insisted that the federal government would not take action against slavery in the states where it existed. Learn more about this dissonance in this episode!
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Through his executive power, Lincoln took strong action against the rebellion, including suspending the writ of habeas corpus. This decision would face opposition and challenges in the Supreme Court. Listen for more!
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At the outset of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, which is a court order directing that a prisoner be brought to court before a judge to determine whether that prisoner???s detention is lawful. Learn more about the implications of this action today!
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The Prize Cases, which came before the Supreme Court in 1863, posed a constitutional test of President Abraham Lincoln's use of war powers during an emergency. Learn more about the impact of this judicial ruling!
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Abraham Lincoln's andquot;Message to Congressandquot; on July 4, 1861, emphatically expressed the president's determination to defend the Union against the Confederate rebellion. He asked Congress to support his war-time policies and approve his mobilization actions.
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When fighting began between Confederate and Union forces in April of 1861, Abraham Lincoln acted quickly and strongly. Learn more about the implications of his approach for executive power in this episode!
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By the time Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, seven slave states had seceded from the U.S. to form the Confederate States of America.
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While Lincoln would lose in the Illinois senatorial race in 1858, he would soon go on to win the U.S. presidential election in 1860. Learn more in this episode!
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Abraham Lincoln briefly left politics after his first term as a U.S. congressman. But national controversy over the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act brought Lincoln back to intense political activity. Learn more about this historic act and how it kicked off Lincoln's presidential run.
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Abraham Lincoln was largely self-taught, having less than one year of formal education. Yet, he led a successful political career. Learn more about the beginning of this career in today's episode!
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Today, we begin a brief series on Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States. We start by mapping his early years, which began in Kentucky on February 12, 1809.
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Elizabeth Cady Stanton is remembered for her persuasive oratorical skills, the power of her writing, her tireless advocacy of the right to vote for women and reform of laws that kept men and women on an unequal footing.
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In 1848, about 300 activists met in Seneca Falls, New York, for the first convention in the United States devoted to women's rights. They discussed Elizabeth Cady Stanton's proposed Declaration of Sentiments, which mirrored the language of the Declaration of Independence.
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Margaretta, Harriet, and Sarah Forten were three powerful African American campaigners for the abolition and women's rights movements. Harriet and Sarah married members of another prominent abolitionist family, the Purvises. Harriet and her husband Robert were involved in the Underground Railroad, and their home served as a refuge for people who had escaped slavery and as a meeting place for abolitionists.
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Lucretia Mott was one of the most well-known, active, and influential women's rights and anti-slavery activists in nineteenth-century America. She was a persuasive speaker at a time when public speaking by women was frowned upon. Not allowed to actively participate in the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London in 1840 because of their gender, Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton resolved to organize the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, the first women's rights convention in the nation.
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Sarah and Angelina Grimke were among the first women to speak out in public in opposition to slavery. They were condemned for speaking out in public to andquot;promiscuousandquot; audiences; that is, audiences composed of both men and women. This prompted them to speak out more forcefully for equal rights for women. They lived long enough to see slavery abolished and the right of African American men to vote recognized, but universal women's suffrage would not be achieved until 1920, although Jim Crow laws would make it difficult or impossible for African Americans vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
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The movement for equal rights for women in the United States had its beginnings in the movement to abolish slavery. In both movements, women would encounter vociferous and sometimes violent opposition.
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Federalism and limited government are principles that ensure that the American political system protects liberty and natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as outlined in the Declaration of Independence. Listen to learn more from Dr. Bose in this final episode of the series!
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To ensure that no individual or institution would have too much power in the American republic, the Framers of the Constitution designed a system of separation of powers and checks and balances. Learn more about these important checks on the power of government in this episode!
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What makes a democracy function is the premise that no one is above the rule of law. But what does that mean? Learn more from Dr. Bose in today's episode!
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Civic participation undergirds American democracy. In fact, it is what makes American democracy thrive. Listen to Dr. Meena Bose explain this important democratic norm in this episode.
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Today we start the first of our five-day series on democratic norms with Dr. Meena Bose, the Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies and Executive Dean for Public Policy and Public Service Programs at Hofstra University. In our first episode, Dr. Bose discusses representative government, which is a fundamental feature of American democracy. Listen to learn more!
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Europeans were surprised that Native American women had so much power and influence, particularly within the Haudenosaunee nations. In those nations, women held political power within the tribes, appointing and removing chiefs at their discretion.
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Despite being known as the "War Woman of Chota," Nanye'hi, also known as Nancy Ward, was a Cherokee woman who would work for much of her life to ensure peace between the Cherokees and the Americans, while attempting to prevent the further seizure of Cherokee land.
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Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, escaped slavery in a way that was unusual: she took her case to court. She approached lawyer Theodore Sedgwick with this question: andquot;I heard that paper read yesterday that says 'all men are born equal,' and that every man has a right to freedom ... won't the law give me my freedom?andquot; Appealing to her natural rights and her rights under the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, she sued for her freedom and won.
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Ona Judge escaped George and Martha Washington's household, where she was an enslaved housemaid, and made her way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she eluded George Washington's determined attempts to capture her. She made a new life for herself in New Hampshire, marrying and having three children. Her side of her remarkable story survives because she gave interviews to at least two abolitionist newspapers.
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A married woman living during the American colonial era would have lived under the legal doctrine called "coverture," where her legal identity was subsumed under that of her husband. William Blackstone wrote, "By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in the law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least is incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband: under whose wing, protection, and cover, she performs every thing." This was governed by colonial law before independence and state law after independence. It would not change substantially after the Revolution in most states, but divorce and child custody laws would change.
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It's Women's History Month! All this month, 60-Second Civics will explain the struggle for equal rights for women and how our Constitution and laws evolved to make our nation a more representative democracy. In this episode, we briefly trace the struggle of women for equal voting rights in the United States.
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Sojourner Truth was a determined woman. She fled slavery, successfully sued to have her son returned to her in New York after he had been illegally sold to a slaveholder, and made a new life for herself. Truth was a prolific social activist, producing an autobiography, speaking out against slavery, and advocating for the right of women to vote. Two hundred years after her death, a robotic exploration vehicle called Sojourner, named after her, would land on Mars.
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In the final episode of our series with Dr. Ross-Norris, we ask: Why is civic education important?
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In this episode, we ask Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris: How can young people get involved in addressing injustices today? She explains the importance of making your voice heard and of support from older generations.
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While in college, Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris took a trip to Ghana that gave her and her classmates the opportunity to explore another culture and connect with their heritage. Listen to learn more about her experience!
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Dr. Ross-Norris recounts an encounter her family had with the police while driving through South Carolina at night. Her experiences bring to light issues with racism and policing during that time
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Throughout her life, Dr. Ross-Norris has interacted with several prominent civil rights leaders, including Dr. Dorothy Height and Rev. Fauntroy. Learn more how these figures inspired the next generation of civil rights leaders in today's episode.
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Maya Angelou, an African American poet and civil rights activist, used her artistic abilities to communicate the Black experience and serve as an instrument for others to understand African American culture. Listen as Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris recounts her interactions with Maya Angelou in today's episode!
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Today we ask our guest Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris: Why are historically black colleges and universities important? In the episode, she shares her experience as a Howard University alumna and how attending an HBCU was significant to her as an African American.
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In today's episode, Dr. Ross-Norris talks about the Tuskegee Airmen, a group her father belonged to and who taught her important lessons about civics and being an American.
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In February, we celebrate Black History Month. Today we ask Dr. Ross-Norris: Why should all Americans learn about the African American experience? Listen to learn why!
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This week, we are joined by a very special guest, Vicki Ross-Norris, an actress, educator, and member of the Center for Civic Education's board of directors. In our first episode, we ask her: Given that many of the Framers of the Constitution were slaveholders, how should Americans think about our nation's founding?
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The Underground Railroad was a system of escape routes, safehouses, and committed anti-slavery activists who helped enslaved people escape to freedom in Canada. Thousands fled to freedom thanks to this multiracial movement led by free African Americans.
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Harriet Tubman's story is truly inspiring. Born a slave, she escaped to freedom, but later led dozens others to their freedom through the human network known as the Underground Railroad. When the Civil War began, she served as a spy, a nurse, and a guide. But that wasn't all. After the war, she advocated for the right of women to vote.
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The South became increasingly dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans, especially after the invention of the cotton gin in 1793. Cotton was a main cash crop. This dependence on forced labor led to the refusal of the South to abolish slavery.
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When enslaved Africans were forcibly brought to America, their names were changed by slaveholders and they were often forbidden to speak their native languages. Nevertheless, these rich cultures were never entirely suppressed, and their influence can be seen in the United States today.
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More than 10 million enslaved Africans would be forcibly transported to the New Word, and at least 250,000 would be taken to the United States. Slavery would not be confined to the South. Slavery was eventually practiced in every American colony.
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Despite the assurance of the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal" the Declaration did not recognize the freedom of enslaved people. And although the Constitution did not mention the word "slavery," it contained provisions that ensured its survival. Nevertheless, the story of the more than 400 years since slavery was first introduced into the thirteen colonies is one of expanding rights and greater equality for all Americans.
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The Declaration of Independence made arguments based on human equality and government by consent, among other things. Listen to learn more about these important concepts!
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The Declaration of Independence contains ideas and arguments for independence that can be divided into several categories: natural rights, human equality, government by consent, the "long train of abuses" by King George III, and finally, the right to revolution. Listen for more!
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The Declaration of Independence announced the final, momentous step in the colonists’ resistance to the British government by rejecting the sovereignty, or authority, of the Crown. Learn more about this declaration in today's episode!
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The battles of Lexington and Concord began the war between America and Britain. In August 1775 Britain declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion. Within a year, the Americans would officially declare their independence. Listen to learn more about this evolution!
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"The shot heard 'round the world" is a line in the poem Concord Hymn describing the effect of the outbreak of the American Revolution in April 1775. Learn more in today's podcast!
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By 1774 many of the more radical colonists were beginning to prepare for war against Great Britain. These colonists formed civilian militias. On April 19, 1775, some 700 British troops tried to march to Concord, Massachusetts. Listen for more!
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Colonists formed committees of correspondence to publicize colonial opposition and coordinate resistance. In 1774 colonies sent representatives to Philadelphia to discuss potential responses to the British government. The meeting was called the First Continental Congress.
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Following the Boston Tea Party, the British government responded with what colonists called the Intolerable Acts, a series of Punitive Acts that, among other things, closed Boston Harbor to all trade.Listen to today?s episode to learn more!
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Controversial at the time, lawyer and later president John Adams defended the British soldiers and their captain following the Boston Massacre. Learn more about his motivation for doing this in today's episode!
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On the night of March 5, 1770, a riot broke out and shots were fired in what would later be known as the ?Boston Massacre.? Learn more about this important event in today?s episode!
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After repealing the hated Stamp Act in 1766, the British Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, asserting Great Britain's full power and authority over the American colonies. In response a group of American women calling themselves the Daughters of Liberty led boycotts of English goods. Listen for more!
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The Stamp Act Congress was held in October 1765 in New York to coordinate colonial resistance to the unpopular Stamp Act, which required nearly every important document printed in the colonies to be taxed. Hear more about this significant occurrence in today's episode!
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Opposition to the Stamp Act prompted American colonists to organize. The Sons of Liberty was one group created to resist the Stamp Act inspired by the words of Isaac Barre. Learn more about this group in today's episode!
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The American colonists were already unhappy with the British about the Proclamation of 1763. But then they took another step that angered Americans. In 1764, Parliament passed the Sugar Act. Learn more in today's episode!
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Britain increased its control over the American colonies after 1763 following its victory over the French in the Seven Years' War, including with acts such as the Proclamation of 1763. Learn more about the implications of this in today's episode!
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For more than 150 years before 1776, the American colonists had grown used to little direct interference by Parliament in colonial affairs. This policy was known as "salutary neglect," but changes to this policy would initiate the focus of our new series: The Road to Independence!
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The Declaration of Independence states that among the "truths" that Americans hold to be "self-evident" is that "all Men are created equal." But what did Thomas Jefferson mean by this statement?
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Thomas Jefferson said that his purpose in writing the Declaration of Independence was to express a shared understanding of "the American mind." Over the course of a few days in June 1776, Jefferson laid out the most fundamental principles and central political beliefs of the American Revolution and of the people the Revolution created.
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In the American colonies, the right to vote followed the British model: only free adult males who owned a certain amount of property could vote, though there were limited exceptions to this rule. Listen to learn more!
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In the American colonies, the right to vote followed the British model: only free adult males who owned a certain amount of property could vote, though there were limited exceptions to this rule. Listen to learn more!
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Voting rights in colonial America depended on the ownership of property. In other words, a person had to own a certain amount of land, livestock, or other property in order to qualify to vote. Listen to learn more!
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Each of the thirteen American colonies had some features of representative democracy that we still see today. For example, each of the colonies had a legislative, executive, and judicial branch. Learn more with today?s episode!
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The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is an important American founding document. The Connecticut Colony has its origins in 1636, when Thomas Hooker led a group of dissenting Puritans from Massachusetts to the Connecticut Valley. Learn why this document was so revolutionary in today's episode!
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Slavery was present in the thirteen American colonies since at least the early 1600s. Until slavery was abolished in the mid-nineteenth century, almost 12 million Africans were transported against their will to America. Listen to today's podcast to learn more about the foundations of slavery in the US.
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Land was plentiful in the thirteen American colonies, but labor was scarce. It was also expensive to sail from Britain to America. This reality created incentives for indentured servitude. Learn more about these colonists in today's episode!
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The mostly rural and agricultural southern colonies differed a great deal from both the New England and Middle Colonies. Learn how in today's episode!
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The Founders stressed the importance of religion and education in reconciling the need for both civic virtue and self-interest.
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Today we explore how natural rights philosophy influenced America's Founders.
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Early on, Americans experienced their interdependence and their need to work for the common good.
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Today's podcast explores the death penalty in the United States.
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If you are convicted of a crime, you have the right to appeal your conviction.
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Today we learn about the protections of the Eighth Amendment.
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Today we explore a bedrock principle of American justice: double jeopardy.
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In England, verdicts in criminal cases had to be unanimous. That changed when English law was adapted by Americans.
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Today we explore two problems with jury trials in the United States.
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What are your procedural rights during a criminal trial? Find out on today's episode.
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Why should trials be speedy or public? Find out on today's podcast.
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Today, criminal defendants in high-profile cases face another sort of trial: trial by media.
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Today, the podcast explores the right to counsel and why it is necessary in an adversary system.
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What is bail? What is its purpose? Find out on today's podcast.
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The Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments protect people accused of crimes between arrest and trial.
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The majority of rights in the Bill of Rights focus on people accused of crime.
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Today we learn the fundamental premise of the American system of justice.
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Do Miranda warnings handcuff the police? We explore the topic on today's podcast.
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