Emancipation of Slaves Under the Constitution

This short video illustrates the approaches taken by the various states towards freeing their slaves. Pennsylvania and New York were among the first to provide a path to gradual emancipation, due in large part to the influence of Quakers and Methodists. Professor John Kaminiski discusses the various criteria for manumission: the age of the individual; what percentage of the individual’s racial background was African-American; and how well prepared the individual was for life as a freeman.

The Constitution: That Delicate Balance

Constitutional issues come to life in this Emmy Award-winning series. Key political, legal, and media professionals engage in spontaneous and heated debates on controversial issues such as campaign spending, the right to die, school prayer, and immigration reform. This series will deepen understanding of the life and power of this enduring document and its impact on history and current affairs, while bringing biases and misconceptions to light.

“Story” from Essential Lens: Analyzing Photographs Across the Curriculum

Every photograph tells a story: Stories of struggle. Stories of beauty. Stories of community and culture. This video offers stories of three people and what compels them to do what they do. Hear from a high school teacher using the Protests and Politics photo collection from this resource (link to collection and big ideas on page), a National Geographic photo editor, and photographer Danny Wilcox Frazier who discusses his work, which focuses on marginalized communities across the United States.

Constitutional Index – Amendment 1 Establishing Clause

The Constitutional Index breaks down the U.S. Constitution by Section, Amendment, and Clause and contains broader topics and themes. These are used to cross-reference Library resources in an effort to annotate constitutional history.

Constitutional Index – Amendment 1 Free Exercise Clause

The Constitutional Index breaks down the U.S. Constitution by Section, Amendment, and Clause and contains broader topics and themes. These are used to cross-reference Library resources in an effort to annotate constitutional history.