Civil Rights - General, United States Constitutions - Federal & State, United States - Civil Rights Movement - History, U.S. Constitution, Law, Politics & Government - United States

Bill of Rights A History in Documents

Name: Bill of Rights A History in Documents
Author: John J. Patrick
ISBN: 9780195103540

by John J. Patrick

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Overview

The Bill of Rights is an extraordinary collection of original documents, carefully introduced and put into context by historian John Patrick, that traces the origins of the Bill of Rights back to England's Magna Carta and its legal traditions through to present day controversies over freedoms of speech, religion, bearing arms, assembling, and more. Examples of challenges to the Bill of Rights include:
* The Sedition Act of 1798, which made it illegal to express criticism of the U.S. government

• The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
• George W. Bush's Executive Order of November 13, 2001, expanding the government's authority against individuals when terrorism is suspected.

Uses contemporary documents to explore the history of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the British traditions on which they were based, and their impact on American society.

About the Author, John J. Patrick

John J. Patrick is Professor of Education in the School of Education at Indiana University. He is also Director of the Social Studies Development Center and Director of the ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education at Indiana University. Professor Patrick is the author or co-author of many publications on civic education, history education, and political ideas. Among his recent publications are The Oxford Guide to the U.S. Government (Oxford, 2001) and The Supreme Court of the United States: A Student Companion (Oxford, 2001).

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Editorials

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Tracing the concept of human rights from the Magna Carta and John Locke's philosophy through to the present day, the author demonstrates through documents the development and interpretation of these rights in American history. A useful introduction defines primary-source documents and how to read them. Patrick then presents a brief overview of particular events and discusses the documents associated with them. He includes excerpts from the primary sources and a summary. Various period maps, cartoons, drawings, and court opinions are also included. Sidebars consisting of mini-biographies, quotes, and drawings provide added dimension. Readers get a true sense of the times, especially by perusing the court opinions. The issues of human rights, the civil rights amendments, the application of these rights in state constitutions, and the question of minority and majority rights are discussed. The chronological organization of the book provides students with an understanding of the evolution and the extent of the Bill of Rights. A chapter of political cartoons about the Second Amendment demonstrates how the interpretation of these rights is a continuing process. This attractive and informative volume will be a valuable resource for most collections.-Lana Miles, Duchesne Academy, Houston, TX Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.