Flag Day
3 items
Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Lesson - 4 Activities
Lesson
4 Activities
Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Texas v. Johnson. Dealing with the First Amendment's freedom of expression protections, this lesson asks students to argue whether or not burning the American flag is so offensive as to be outside the legitimate marketplace of ideas.
An Anthem, A Flag, and Individual Liberties
E Lesson
E Lesson
20 Min
When American football player Colin Kaepernick began sitting (and later kneeling) during the National Anthem to protest racial injustices in the country, he intended to draw attention to race relations in the United States. However, his actions have also sparked a discussion regarding the individual liberties of American Citizens.
Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940)
E Lesson
E Lesson
20 Min
Billy Gobitis, a ten-year-old Pennsylvania public school student, refused to salute the American flag because doing so would have gone against his religious beliefs. Billy argued that his First Amendment rights to free speech and religious exercise meant the government could not force him to participate in the daily ceremony.