Introduction to the Constitution Seminar
The Introduction to the Constitution Seminar is intended to provide teachers with a foundational knowledge of the Constitution, and with a firm grounding in its origins, purposes, and ongoing importance and relevance. The Seminar will focus on the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and its relationship to the Constitution, the debate over the Constitution's ratification between the Federalists and Antifederalists, the origin of the Bill of Rights, and such permanent constitutional and political principles as liberty, republicanism, federalism, representation, separation of powers, and checks and balances. It will include a discussion of constitutional interpretation from a nonpartisan perspective, and will conclude with a discussion of the meaning of citizenship under the system of government created by the Constitution.
Readings
-
The Declaration of Independence
- The Articles of Confederation
- The United States Constitution
- "Vices of the Political System of the United States," James Madison, 1787
- James Madison's letter to George Washington on April 16, 1787
- The speeches of James Madison and James Wilson during the Philadelphia Convention {July 5, 13, 14, 1787}
- James Wilson's speech on October 6, 1787
- The Federalist:
- "Introduction" in Eugene W. Hickok, Jr. The Bill of Rights: Original Meaning and Current Understanding, 1991
- Marbury v. Madison (1803)
- McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
- Barron v. Baltimore (1833)
- Gitlow v. New York (1925)
Seminar Leader
Eugene Hickok is a former Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and once Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Hickok has also taught political science at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, and served as special assistant in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. His writings have appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Education Week, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, and other publications.
Eligibility
Eligibility is limited to classroom teachers in public and private schools. Elementary school teachers, those teaching the Constitution for the first time, and educators in academic fields other than social studies or civic education are encouraged to apply. If you have questions about eligibility, please contact the Center.
Thanks to the generosity of private donors, scholarships make these seminars available at no cost to classroom teachers who work in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia. Scholarships cover the cost of accommodations, meals, reading materials, teaching resources, and documentation for recertification credits. Educators who work outside this region should contact the Center about tuition rates or other regional scholarships that might be available. Participants are responsible for their own transportation costs. Applicants who accept the Center's invitation to attend this Seminar will be responsible for a $50 deposit, refundable if they complete the Seminar or if they cancel their enrollment more than 30 days before the Seminar start date. There is no fee to apply or to attend the Seminar.
What's Included
Accommodations and Meals - You will be houses at the Constitutional Village on the grounds of Montpelier near Orange, VA. All meals will be provided.
Seminar Materials - You will receive readings that are specially edited and assembled to reflect the theme of the Seminar.
Teaching Resources - You will be introduced to the nationally acclaimed curriculum We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
Recertification - You will receive documentation of the Seminar's contact hours to qualify you for professional development from your local school system, according to your own school policies.
How to Apply
Click here to apply online, or click here to print an application which can be mailed or faxed to the Center.
