Discover courses, collections, videos, essays, podcasts and more.
View LibraryExplore our upcoming webinars, events and programs.
View All EventsThe most effective way to secure a freer America with more opportunity for all is through engaging, educating, and empowering our youth. And the most effective way to achieve that is through investing in The Bill of Rights Institute. We contribute to teachers and students by providing valuable resources, tools, and experiences that promote civic engagement through a historical framework. You can be a part of this exciting work by making a donation to The Bill of Rights Institute today!
Make your investment into the leaders of tomorrow through the Bill of Rights Institute today!
Make a DonationLearn more about the different ways you can partner with the Bill of Rights Institute.
Learn MoreResults for BRI’s Homework Help Series
VideoHow did the United States become a global economy in the post-World War II era? In this Homework Help video, Professor Domitrovic explores this question and other economic issues in the mid to late 20th century.
VideoIs a national bank constitutional? The Founders certainly disagreed on this issue, and it became a dominant question during the days of the early republic. Professor Domitrovic guides students through this debate in this Homework Help video.
VideoIn this Homework Help video, learn the story of the landmark Supreme Court case of Baker v. Carr. How did the ruling in this case contribute to the democratic principle of “one person-one vote”?
VideoWhy was the presidential election of 2000 so controversial, and what constitutional questions were raised during the vote count? This Homework Help video explores these questions to help students understand the fundamental issues at hand in the case of Bush v. Gore.
VideoThis Homework Help narrative explores the history of the Founding of the U.S. and the reasons why federalism was created as an important part of our constitutional system. The video challenges viewers to consider this question: why we have a system with local, state, and federal laws?
VideoDoes an individual have a right to a lawyer, regardless of the crime he or she is charged with? In 1961, Clarence Gideon was arrested and charged with breaking and entering and petty larceny in Panama City, Florida. His request for a state-provided defense attorney was denied since Florida law only required doing so for capital offense cases. After Gideon was sentenced to 5 years in prison, he argued that Florida violated the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of the right to counsel. The Supreme Court heard Gideon’s case and ruled in a 7-0 decision that the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of an attorney applies to states through the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.
VideoIn this Homework Help narrative, learn about the constitutional principle of incorporation and its historic context. Has incorporating the Bill of Rights to apply to the states created greater liberty for Americans?
VideoUnder the Articles of Confederation, states would impose tariffs on each other. The Constitution solved this issue by ending that practice and granting the power to regulate interstate commerce to Congress. How has the Commerce Clause been interpreted since then?
VideoCan the police use illegally seized evidence in a court of law? The landmark Supreme Court case Mapp v. Ohio addressed this issue, and the decision has had a lasting impact in the United States.
VideoDoes the Second Amendment prevent a city from effectively outlawing handgun ownership? In 2008, Otis McDonald attempted to purchase a handgun for self-defense purposes in a Chicago suburb. However, the city of Chicago had banned handgun ownership in 1982 when it passed a law that prevented issuing handgun registrations. McDonald argued this law violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s Privileges and Immunities Clause as well as the Due Process Clause. In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that McDonald’s Second Amendment right to bear arms was protected at the state and local level by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
VideoWhy was the colonial American economy based on a system of mercantilism? Professor Domitrovic tackles this important question in this Homework Help video.
VideoHow to best balance liberty and security has been a perennial question throughout U.S. history. This Homework Help video explores how the Supreme Court addressed this question in the landmark case of New York Times Co. v. United States.
VideoHow did the odious doctrine of “separate but equal” become legally permissible in the U.S.? This Homework Help narrative explores the story of the Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case.
VideoWhat caused the economic boom in the post-WWII era? This Homework Help video takes students through essential economic information from the 1940s to the 1960s.
VideoProfessor Domitrovic walks through the most essential economic facts of the Progressive Era and the New Deal. Why did the government begin to expansively regulate business during this time?
VideoDo women have a right to privacy when deciding whether to have an abortion? In 1969, a woman under the alias “Jane Roe” challenged a Texas law that outlawed abortions. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, where Roe argued that a woman’s right to privacy in having an abortion is protected by the Constitution. In a 7-2 decision, the Court ruled the right to an abortion fell within the right to privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. To this day, the ruling in Roe v. Wade remains one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions.
VideoWhy is the drinking age set at 21? This Homework Help video explores the dispute between states and the federal government over the legal age, and how it is an example of the principle of federalism in action.
VideoWhat economic issues split the North and South during the leadup to the Civil War? This Homework Help video explores this question and will help prepare you for your upcoming test!
VideoIn this Homework Help narrative, learn about the origins and functions of the Electoral College. This constitutional institution has long been the subject of intense debate and scrutiny, and this video challenges students to think about it for themselves.
VideoWas the Gilded Age dominated by "robber barons" who stifled competition and oppressed workers, or "captains of industry" who led innovation that benefitted consumers and laborers alike? Professor Domitrovic analyzes the arguments on both side of the debate in this Homework Help video.
VideoThe Great Depression was the worst economic time period in American history. What caused the Depression, and why did it take so long for the country to recover? This Homework Help video explores these questions for students.
VideoWhy did a subtle act of protest against a foreign war reach the Supreme Court? In 1965, students John and Mary Beth Tinker wore black armbands to school to protest the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, despite the Des Moines school district prohibiting such an act. The Tinkers sued the district for violating their First Amendment rights, and the Supreme Court ruled in their favor in a 7-2 decision. While subsequent Supreme Court rulings narrowed the scope of free expression rights at school, Tinker v. Des Moines remains a landmark case that has defined First Amendment rights for students.
VideoThis Homework Help narrative explores the landmark case of U.S. v. Lopez and its lasting impact on federalism. Students will study the topic of federal power and street crime while forming their own opinions on the merits of the case.
VideoReligious liberty is one of the foundational principles of American society, but how should it be balanced with government interests in an educated citizenry? Our second Homework Help video of the semester is on the landmark case of Wisconsin v. Yoder, and how the Supreme Court dealt with this important question.
