Challenges to Civil Liberties Primary Source Lesson

This engaging lesson plan on Challenges to Civil Liberties in American History is an excellent way to promote critical analysis of the ways fundamental rights can be taken away.

The lesson includes the following 8 primary source documents (both images of the original document and printed text are included):

• Naturalization Act of 1789
• Alien Friends Act of 1789
• Alien Enemies Act of 1789
• Sedition Act of 1789
• Abraham Lincoln Suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus
• Abraham Lincoln and the Press
• Sedition Act of 1918
• Executive Order 9066

A 2-page worksheet has your students determining the purpose of each and then analyzing whether each violates the Constitution. A complete answer key is included for this as well for your convenience.

The is great as a station activity to allow your students to work together and move around the room analyzing each one. Or, you can use the included Google Doc to allow students to work online. Either way makes for an excellent lesson in a unit on Civil Liberties!

This resources can also be downloaded as part of my Civil Liberties & Civil Rights Unit Bundle.

You can also find more of my great American Government activities here!

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