Impeachment...what does that mean? Like most of America, my students have a misunderstanding of the concept of impeachment. Given the current climate, how do teachers cover such a controversial topic? What would the Founders think of how we have handled the impeachment process as defined in Article I Section 2 and 3? Historically? Currently? With the influence of the press?

Tim Moore of the University of Wisconsin, Madison presented "How Did the Framers Create the Constitution?" on the Center for Civic Education's Constitution 101 online course.  Check out the video! 

Constitution 101 is a free course on the basics of U.S. constitutional government.  Today begins Week 4 out of 6.  http://www.civiced.org/constitution101

What questions do you have about the creation and ratification of the Constitution?

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1501555

Here is a link to George Washington's copy of the first draft of the Constitution.  This includes his notations, and edits.  All is found in the US National Archives. 

" The Civil War provoked profound changes in the Constitution...amounting to what many have called America's Second Founding."

• What were those changes in the Constitution?
• Should those changes be called "profound"? Why or Why not?
• In what ways, if any, do those constitutional changes amount to "America's Second Founding"?

Appearing in New York newspapers as the New York Ratification Convention met in Poughkeepsie, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote as Publius and addressed the citizens of New York through the Federalist Papers.  These 85 essays subsequently circulated and were reprinted throughout the states as the Ratification process unfolded in other states.