Government Sites
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government (Grades 6-8) - (Government
Printing Office) - Take a journey with Benjamin Franklin and learn all about our government.
Bill of Rights - Charters of Freedom - (National Archives) -
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed to the state legislatures 12
amendments to the Constitution. Articles 3 to 12 were ratified by three-fourths of the state
legislatures, constitute the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights.
Branches of Government - Because of the colonies’ experience under
the British monarchy, the delegates wanted to avoid giving any one person or group absolute control
in government, so they created the branches of the government. Learn more about these
branches.
Contact Your State Governor - USA.gov - This page has links to
contact state governors. Click on your state and send a message to your governor.
Courtroom Staff - United States court rooms may vary the
seating locations of where the jury box is located; where the the law clerks and court reporters sit; and
even where the public seating area (called the "gallery") is placed; but the basic layout of a court
room always contains the same elements.
Enactment of a Law - Library of Congress site about the steps to enact a law
in the U.S. Government.
How Laws Are Made - Laws may be initiated in either chamber of Congress, the
House of Representatives or the Senate. Learn how the process works.
Inside the Courtroom - (U.S. Attorneys' Office) - Check out a Federal
Courtroom; learn what Judges and Federal Prosecutors do.
Join
the Signers! - At this site, you have the opportunity to explore the legacy of our
Founding Fathers through special features, exhibits, classroom activities, and more.
Judicial Branch - Ben's Guide - (Government
Printing Office) - The judicial branch of government is established in Article III of the Constitution with
the creation of the Supreme Court. This court is the highest court in the country and is empowered
with the judicial powers of the government.
Kids in the
House - Explore the role the Office of the Clerk plays in the U.S. House of
Representatives. Learn about the
legislative process and its effect on you.
National versus State Government - (Government Printing
Office) - Following the Revolutionary War, the 13 colonies basically governed themselves. It was soon
discovered that this weak form of state government could not survive and so the Constitution was
drafted. Learn more.
State
Legislatures - This site contains information from the home pages and websites of the
fifty state legislatures, the District of Columbia and the Territories.
Supreme Court - Ben's Guide - (Government
Printing Office) - The Supreme Court, part of the judicial branch, was established in the Constitution
as the highest court in the nation. The Supreme Court’s most important responsibility is to decide
cases that raise questions of constitutional interpretation.
The New
United States of America Adopted the Bill of Rights - America’s Library - (Library of
Congress) - Do you know your Bill of Rights? It is the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution,
confirming the fundamental rights of American citizens.
U.S. Senate - State Information List - On
this site, choose a state to see a listing of that state's former Senators as well as interesting facts about
its relationship to the U.S. Senate.
Other Resources
Laws and Rights - FactMonster - Learn about America's legal system,
citizens' rights and responsibilities.
Our Courts
- 21st Century Civics - Our Courts is a free, interactive, web-based program designed to
teach you civics and inspire you to be active participants in our democracy.
United States Bill of Rights - Wikipedia - The Bill of
Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are
known.
Page Revised - 3/30/2009
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