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Laws have an effect on our lives and the things we do and don't do everyday. How are they made? Who decides what will become a law? In this unit we will explore the process of making a law. We will consider the origins of laws, who they effect, and how they are upheld.

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-I can explain how laws are made at the state and federal levels.

-I can explain why laws are made.

-I can identify the role of each branch of government in the law-making process.

-I can identify how beliefs and values influence the law-making process.

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FP.C&G.3.2

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After learning how and why laws are made, we will apply what we have learned to address how laws have been used to either repair or create injustices. Laws are made to protect citizens and create orderly societies. What happens when laws do the opposite? In this unit, we will explore how laws do not always reflect morality. We will analyze one of the greatest legal injustices to ever occur in our country: slavery. We will explore this topic through An American Story by Kwame Alexander, which tells the story of American slavery through the eyes of a teacher and her students, exploring the horrors of the institution, from its roots in Africa to its impact on individuals and communities.

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-I can explain how laws have been used to marginalize populations.

-I can evaluate the reasonings behind the legality of slavery.

-I can explain how societal norms influence the creation and distribution of laws.

-I can explain how some laws are not based on morality.

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FP.C&G.3

ELD-SS.9-12

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Moving forward in time, we will explore another great legal injustice in our nation's history. Where would we be if women had not fought for the right to vote? What actions brought about change? How did the passage of the 19th Amendment change American public policy? We will analyze a real text written by a hero of the Women's Suffrage Movement. We will also learn how the law was changed and what it took.

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-I can explain how beliefs and values influence the passage of new laws.

-I can identify the actions taken by activists in the Women's Suffrage Movement.

-I can analyze a primary source document and identify the motivations of the author.

-I can explain the effect the passage of the 19th Amendment had on society.

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Is one year a long time? How about 45 years? That is how long it took for voting rights to be expanded to all U.S. citizens after the 19th Amendment was passed. We will explore another primary source document written by Gerald Ford to Congress, pressuring for the passage of the act. In this unit, we will also explore the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the actions of activists that led to the passage of the law, and what effects it had on society.

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-I can explain how laws don't always represent the will of the people.

-I can explain how the actions and struggles of activists can lead to the passage of new laws.

-I can explain how the distribution of equal voting rights was a slow, difficult process that took place over generations.

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CL.B.1

FP.C&G.3

ELD-SS.9-12

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Students will use what we have learned about the law-making process, activism, and societal inequality to identify an issue that is relevant to their lives. Students will then make a draft for a bill identifying the problem, their values, and beliefs that motivated them to address the issue, as well as a solution. Students will present their bills. The class will model the legislative process and either pass or reject the bill.

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CL.B.1

FP.C&G.3

ELD-SS.9-12