Constitution Day Paper Requirements

By an Act of Congress, all collegiate institutions that receive federal funds must provide information on the United States Constitution to the student body. You will submit a one-page paper on the Constitution as a part of this requirement. The topic may include, but not limited to, the significance of the Constitution, or one significant part of the Constitution, how the Constitution affects the American public or yourself, what the Constitution means today, or the legacy of the Constitution. You must explain why you believe the way you do. We will discuss topics in class, but you cannot take the First Amendment and try to explain all of it in one page. Be careful how much history you think you need to include, repeat what is readable, but do not repeat the section of the Constitution word for word, just explain it. The paper must be one-page, utilizing the standard Microsoft Word margins. The paper may be available for viewing by the community at-large.

The paper on the Constitution is a one-page paper. Here is an outline to follow:

1. What I believe is the most important part of the Constitution.
2. One part, just a phrase or idea, not a full section
3. State why you believe it is important
4. Give some examples that support your idea, either from your News Items or from an article, and use the text
5. Give a concluding statement that summarizes what you mean, but do not repeat the first paragraph.
6. The paper is one-page only. It is not to be a page and a half, nor is it two-thirds of a page.

What you SHOULD DO:

• Pick one part of the Constitution. Several students like to use the First Amendment, but you are not limited to this section. Ok, the First Amendment has five parts to it. Pick one of the five parts.
• For example, if you pick freedom of speech, then discuss its importance, and find an article that supports your idea. DO NOT WRITE that it means you can say whatever you want to say. Instead, use an example that shows, in a real-life example, what you mean by free speech.
• The best examples come from your life, if you have them.

What you SHOULD NOT DO:

• Do not repeat the entire First Amendment in your paper. If we want to know what it says, we can read it in the text (The Constitution is in the back of the text).
• DO NOT pick more than one idea. If you pick the Second Amendment, then only use one part. In addition, if you pick the Preamble, then only one phrase, such as “We the people.” Notice that I used only the first three words there. You could also pick another phrase, such as “a more perfect union.”
• DO NOT write, “The Bill of Rights is the most important.” Pick one part of one of the amendments.
• Refrain from constitutional Web sites unless in the Webliography, but use your text instead to understand the Constitution.