Inquiry-based Resource
US Constitution C3 Inquiry: Balancing Liberty with Security
Currier & Ives. The great Bartholdi statue, Liberty Enlightening the World--The gift of France to the American people. , ca. 1883. New York: Published by Currier & Ives. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/97502725/.
What is the right balance between security and personal freedom?
This 8th grade annotated inquiry asks students to consider what factors affect both liberty and security. Students consider the Social Contract Theory and how the Founding Fathers as well as everyday citizens attempt to find the balance between liberty and security. Students will assess founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights to discover how these documents address these topics, and assess major events within American history that have forced Americans to reconsider the balance liberty and security.