This documentary explores the landmark Supreme Court decision Miranda v. Arizona that said criminal suspects, at the time of their arrest but before any interrogation, must be told of their Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination and Sixth Amendment right to an attorney. The decision led to the familiar Miranda warning that begins “You have the right to remain silent…”
Our Constitution: A Conversation
Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Stephen G. Breyer talk to high school students about why we need a written Constitution and what it says about the U.S. Supreme Court and its rulings.
Annenberg Guide to the Constitution: What It Says, What It Means
This interactive guide to the U.S. Constitution provides the original text of each article and amendment and the meaning of each in plain language.
Jury Selection on Trial: Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co.
If the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial is to be realized, the process used for selecting jurors must also be fair. Before Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co., the constitutional principle of equal protection under the law had been applied to federal jury selection practices in criminal trials but not in civil trials. In this lesson, students learn about jury selection and how the role and responsibilities of government in civil and criminal jury trials are viewed by the Supreme Court.
Key Constitutional Concepts
This three-part documentary discusses why and how the Constitution was created at the Constitutional Convention and explores the protection of individuals’ rights in the Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright and limits on presidential power through checks and balances in the Supreme Court case Youngstown v. Sawyer.
Each segment is about 20 minutes.
Closed captions available in multiple languages, including Spanish.
A Conversation on the Constitution: Jury Service
Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony M. Kennedy discuss the history and responsibilities of juries and the role they play in the U.S. judicial system. This video complements FAQs: Juries, 11 short videos about the history of juries and what to expect as a potential juror.
The Story of the Bill of Rights
This documentary tells the story of these individual freedoms that often are taken for granted today. But in 1787, when they were first discussed at the Constitutional Convention, the Founding Fathers rejected them. Why were these rights controversial then? The full story about these rights, including what they say and what they mean, is explained. Ten short videos examine each of the amendments in the Bill of Rights.
Mandate: The President and the People
The complex relationship between the presidency and public opinion is examined by leading historians, political scientists and public figures who also offer insight into the office and its occupants from George Washington to FDR.
A Conversation on the Right to Trial by an Impartial Jury
Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Stephen G. Breyer and Anthony M. Kennedy discuss with high school students the Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co. case and the Sixth Amendment right to trial by an impartial jury. The video complements the documentary Jury Selection: Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co.
A Conversation on Judicial Interpretation
Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Antonin Scalia and a group of students discuss the different theories, primarily Originalism vs. The Living Constitution, of how to interpret and apply the Constitution to cases. A PDF lesson guide accompanies this video