Support USConstitution.net Thank you for coming to USConstitution.net. If you want to help keep this site running, there are several ways to pitch in. Of course, nothing is required of you to use the site. The following are all 100% optional. You can buy a book at Amazon.com In November 2004, there was a funding…

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Political Philosophers When I went to college, my major was Political Science. The field is very broad, and I focused on my own areas of interest, the American political system. I also dabbled in comparative political systems and international politics. In all that time, I seem to have been able to avoid almost any contact…

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The New York Times CyberTimes [Editor’s note: this column appeared in the August 14, 1997 edition of the New York Times CyberTimes online news source. The original is still archived here. This local copy is maintained just in case the original ever disappears from the Web.] August 14, 1997 One Man’s Passion for ‘Living’ Constitutions…

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The Lemon Test Advertisement In 1971, the Supreme Court heard the case of Lemon v Kurtzman (403 US 602). In the case, the Court decided that a Rhode Island law that paid some of the salary of some parochial school teachers was unconstitutional. The case is discussed in more detail on the Constitution and Religion…

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Events Affecting the Constitution Through history, certain events have shaped how the Constitution has been interpreted or viewed by the public. This page will provide an overview of these events, most of which are Supreme Court cases, and provide a starting-point for further research. The primary sources for this information varies. Supreme Court cases are…

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The USConstitution.net Timeline Often in the course of researching events for the USConstitution.net site, I’ve wondered where in history those events fall in relation to other national and international milestones. On this page, I’ve listed many events from U.S. and World history, with specific attention to constitutional events. PalmPilot users: A DOC format file for…

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Recommended Reading – A Bookstore The U.S. Constitution Online is proud to present the following selection of titles for your Constitutional Reading pleasure. These books are presented in association with the Amazon.com online bookstore. Help support this site by buying your books from Amazon.com. If you go to Amazon.com by clicking on a link on…

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The Best of the USConstitution Message Board There have been forums active on this site since August 1997. In that time, many pearls of wisdom have been posted to the forums, by many people, on many subjects. This page is a “Best Of” of sorts. “Nominations” for inclusion on this page are sent in by…

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Justices of the Supreme Court Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Because of the lifetime appointment, the position of Justice is seen as a very powerful one. A Justice can sit on the bench through several presidencies and as the Congress changes hands from…

The Historical USConstitution.net Advertisement I started the U.S. Constitution online site in 1995, as part of my effort to learn HTML and to discover more about the World Wide Web and what it could offer, and what I could offer. As a political science major in college, the Constitution itself has always interested me; when…

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Comparing the Articles and the Constitution The United States has operated under two constitutions. The first, The Articles of Confederation, was in effect from March 1, 1781, when Maryland ratified it. The second, The Constitution, replaced the Articles when it was ratified by New Hampshire on June 21, 1788. The two documents have much in…

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Members of Congress The following is a list of the Senators and Representatives of the 112th Congress, as of January 5, 2011. If you see any discrepancies, please let me know. In the “Party” column, the following abbreviations are used: D = Democratic R = Republican I = Independent – = Vacant NV = Non-Voting…

Common Sense Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England, on January 29, 1737. He was raised by a Quaker father and an Anglican mother. He apprenticed as a corset maker, a profession that he drifted in and out of for many years. In 1764, he studied for and was admitted as an excise officer, though…

Civil Unions News This page is an archive of articles presented on the Current News page of the USConstitution.net site concerning Vermont’s Civil Union Law. 03/06/02 Massachusetts court to take up gay marriage The top court in Massachusetts is taking up the issue of gay marriage in a case brought by seven gay and lesbian…

How to Cite This Site Jump to: Citing the Constitution It is very important when writing a paper for a school project (at any level, from elementary school to graduate school) to properly cite your sources. Where did you find your information? Citations are placed in the text as footnotes or endnotes, and/or placed at…