Faithfully Execute: The President as Enforcer of the Law

The curriculum, Presidents and the Constitution, was

made possible by generous grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities through

its We the People program, as well as from

Dr. John Templeton.

Mission Statement

Established in 1999, the Institute is a 501(c)(3) not for profit charity focused on providing educational resources on America's Founding documents and principles for teachers and students of American History and Civics. Our mission is to educate young people about the words and ideas of the Founders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding documents, and how our Founding principles continue to affect and shape a free society.

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Enhance our own knowledge

Explore new teaching strategies

Enrich the expertise of other teachers

“There is no knowledge that is not power.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Overview of Our Curricula

• Written by Teachers

• Evaluated by Teachers

• Tested by Teachers in the classroom

• Research-based best practices in civic education

Resources Designed for:

• Higher level classrooms

• Heterogeneous classrooms

• Low achieving students

• High School classrooms

• Middle School classrooms

Presidents and the Constitution

Each unit includes

•Scholarly essay

•Primary source activity focusing on Article II

• Lessons to show how three different presidents understood and exercised

their constitutional powers

Volume II Units

•War

•Chief Enforcer

•Impeachment

•Federal Power

•Transfer of Power

Back of the book resources

Answer Key Appendix A: The Declaration

of Independence Appendix B: The Constitution Appendix C: The Bill of Rights Resources Special Thanks Image Credits National Standards

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies

8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).

1. Issue multiple proclamations against the insurgents

2. Consult with his Cabinet and with a judge

3. Consult with Pennsylvania officials

4. All of the above

5. Not sure

Before President Washington used troops to break up the Whiskey Rebellion, which of the following did he

do?

Whiskey Rebellion

1. Indian Removal Act (1830)

2. Worcester v. Georgia (1831)

3. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

4. Treaty of New Echota (1835)

5. Not sure

Which of these did President Andrew Jackson refuse to enforce?

Indian Removal

How did President Eisenhower explain his decision to use federal troops to prevent violence in Little Rock?

1. He was eager to demonstrate that a governor could not defy a federal court order.

2. He believed the public schools were the best place to begin desegregating American society.

3. He decided that his constitutional duty to enforce the law was inescapable.

4. He thought it was time for the federal government to take over the operation of the nation’s public schools.

5. Not sure

Little Rock Crisis

Faithfully Execute Constitutional Connection

Activity, p. 66

Students analyze excerpts of the Constitution to review the

President’s authority as enforcer of the law.

Please consider this activity —how would it work for your

students?

The President as Enforcer of the Law

Teacher-Friendly lesson plan

Jigsaw activity for students

Work with a partner or two to discuss all 7 passages on “The President as Enforcer of the Law” handout. How do these phrases help define the President’s power to enforce the law?

Discussion Questions—Part D, p. 66

Faithfully Execute the Law

“The President as Enforcer of the Law” essay (p. 68) by Professor David Marion, Ph.D.

Dr. Marion is Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest and Elliott Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs at Hampden-Sydney College.

Video Mini-Documentaries

Click on “Presidents and the Constitution”—lower right on our main webpage.

Two-page, teacher-friendly lesson plan, p. 72 Critical Engagement Question: Assess George

Washington’s decision to use military force to subdue the Whiskey Rebellion.

Handout A: Background essay providing all the information necessary to conduct the lesson.

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

As you read Handout A, watch for the information necessary to fill in Handout B: Setting the Scene Timeline

Summarize:

– events leading up to the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania

– the types of steps Washington took in addressing the situation.

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

1. George Washington 2. Alexander Hamilton 3. Western Pennsylvania

Farmer 4. James Wilson

Use Handout C to prepare for a press conference:

5. “Democratic Society” Member

6. Tax Collector 7. Thomas Jefferson 8. Reporter

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

Jigsaw:

Meet by number groups. Prepare for press conference. Use Handout C to organize.

Select spokesperson.

Meet by color groups. Conduct press conference.

Spokespeople demonstrate press conference.

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

How might the panel discussion be different if conducted in 1800? 1805?

– The Excise Tax – “democratic societies”

Panel Discussion--1795

– The Whiskey Rebellion – Washington’s response – Aftermath

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

Wrap-up

– Was Washington’s response appropriate to the situation, or was it excessive?

– Were his actions constitutional?

– Why do you think Washington consulted with other branches and levels of government in making the decision to use military force to subdue the Whiskey Rebellion?

Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion

Homework: Write a newspaper editorial about the Whiskey Rebellion and Washington’s response. Was his action prudent? Constitutional?

Extension: Read Washington’s Sixth Annual Message to Congress to analyze his explanation of the Whiskey Rebellion and his response.

The document can be found at www.ArticleII.org/units/enforce.

Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal

Critical Engagement Question (p. 78): Did a series of President Andrew Jackson’s decisions regarding Indian Removal conflict with America’s constitutional principles and civic values? If so, how?

Handout A: Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal

Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal What are some of America’s most

important principles and values? Develop a definition for each.

Honor Respect

Majority rule while respecting minority rights

Property rights

Popular sovereignty

Representation Responsibility

Equal treatment under law

Separation of powers

Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal Petition of the ladies of Steubenville, Ohio:

“To you (Congress), then, as the constitutional protectors of the Indians within our territory, and as the peculiar

guardians of our national character,… we solemnly and earnestly appeal to save this remnant of a much injured

people…and to shelter the American character from lasting dishonor.”

Working with a partner or two, and using the essay, “Andrew Jackson and Indian

Removal,” complete Handout B.

Why were the petitioners concerned about “lasting dishonor” to the American

character?

Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal Discussion Questions: Handout C

1. Should Jackson have signed the Indian Removal Act into law?

2. What action, if any, should Jackson have taken to enforce the Supreme Court decision that Georgia laws had no force against the Cherokee?

3. Should Jackson have signed the Treaty of New Echota?

4. Who was responsible for the Treaty of New Echota? How much responsibility belongs to Jackson? The Senate? The people?

5. Jackson believed that each department of government had the power to interpret the Constitution. What arguments can be offered for and against this position?

6. Does the fact that an action has been determined to be constitutional mean that that action is necessarily just or right?

7. What should the people do when powerful branches of government do bad things?

Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal Homework

Have students research and write one-pagers to follow up on the discussion questions.

Extensions

1. Students analyze Jackson’s Second Message to Congress (available at www.ArticleII.org/units/enforce. )

2. Students consider whether Indian Removal could have taken place after

the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment?

the bombing of Pearl Harbor?

the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

http://www.articleii.org/units/enforce

Eisenhower and the Little Rock Crisis

Critical Engagement Question (p. 86): Should President Eisenhower have used federal troops to enforce a federal court’s order to integrate schools in Little Rock, Arkansas?

Read the Overview, p. 86, and Handout A: Eisenhower and the Little Rock Crisis, and consider the Critical Thinking Questions.

•What are people doing? What are people NOT doing? •What kinds of expressions or attitudes do you see? •Are there law enforcement officers present? If so, do they seem to be working to stop the violence? •What do these images reveal about Little Rock at the time they were taken?

Crisis at Central High School

•What are people doing? What are people NOT doing? •What kinds of expressions or attitudes do you see? •Are there law enforcement officers present? If so, do they seem to be working to stop the violence? •What do these images reveal about Little Rock at the time they were taken?

Crisis at Central High School

Handout B: Document Based Question

Key Question: Assess President Eisenhower’s constitutional justification for his decision to send federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to enforce a federal court’s order to integrate public schools.

Eisenhower and the Little Rock Crisis

Document Analysis—Use Handout C: Organizing Documents to map your analysis of documents with your group. Note scaffolding questions.

Group 1: Documents A,B,C,D,E Group 2: Documents A,B,C,F,G Group 3: Documents A,B,C,H,I Volunteer?? Please read aloud Eisenhower’s radio address, Document K.

Eisenhower and the Little Rock Crisis

How do the documents help us to answer the key question?

– Assess President Eisenhower’s constitutional justification for his decision to send federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to enforce a federal court’s order to integrate public schools.

Eisenhower and the Little Rock Crisis

Eisenhower and the Little Rock Crisis Extensions

A. Have students read Eisenhower’s entire radio address and summarize its key points. The document can be found at www.ArticleII.org.

B. Have students research the lives of the Little Rock Nine:

• Carlotta Walls

• Jefferson Thomas

• Elizabeth Eckford

• Thelma Mothershed

• Melba Pattillo

• Terrance Roberts

• Gloria Ray

• Minniejean Brown

• Ernest Green

http://www.articleii.org/

1. Issue multiple proclamations against the insurgents

2. Consult with his Cabinet and with a judge

3. Consult with Pennsylvania officials

4. All of the above

5. Not sure

Before President Washington used troops to break up the Whiskey Rebellion, which of the following did he

do?

Whiskey Rebellion

1. Indian Removal Act (1830)

2. Worcester v. Georgia (1831)

3. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

4. Treaty of New Echota (1835)

5. Not sure

Which of these did President Andrew Jackson refuse to enforce?

Indian Removal

How did President Eisenhower explain his decision to use federal troops to prevent violence in Little Rock?

1. He was eager to demonstrate that a governor could not defy a federal court order.

2. He believed the public schools were the best place to begin desegregating American society.

3. He decided that his constitutional duty to enforce the law was inescapable.

4. He thought it was time for the federal government to take over the operation of the nation’s public schools.

5. Not sure

Little Rock Crisis

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Great Tools for Your Students

Games Videos

Online Resources:

• Constitution Duel Quiz

• Constitutional Principles videos

• Madison’s Notes are Missing

• Constitution Day lesson plans

• Life Without the Bill of Rights

• PDFs of the Founding documents

• Effective ANY time of year!

Constitution Day – Sept. 17th

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Bill of Rights Day – Dec. 15th

You and Your Students will Explore:

• The text and history of each of the first 10 Amendments

• Landmark Supreme Court cases

• Engaging activities, handouts, and games

• How the 14th Amendment and Incorporation has impacted the Bill of Rights

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