Rights of the Accused in America

Gr 6 Up—Easy to understand and fast paced, Equal Protection manages to cover five amendments in just 17 minutes. It includes well-known and less commonly taught cases and ends with a review of the latest laws protecting the disadvantaged, including Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which legalized same-sex marriages. Federal Supremacy covers the Fourteenth Amendment, with examples given of cases that stressed the Supremacy Clause; mentions McDonald v. Chicago (2010), which ruled on the right to bear arms; and explains the Supremacy Clause, with relevant case law and primary source stills. The film brings up the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which can be used as a spin-off for class discussion. People and Events provides a quick review of political philosopher Montesquieu, colonial government, and Shays' Rebellion and an excellent description of the three different types of colonies. The history of the rebellion is traced back to the Articles of Confederation, and quotes from Montesquieu's book Spirit of the Laws are emphasized. Focusing on the Fourth through Eighth Amendments, Rights begins with a brief background of the British violating the colonists' rights and quickly takes viewers to the New Jersey v. TLO case and explains the legal requirements for a search warrant. Other cases highlighted are Gideon v. Wainwright and Miranda v. Arizona.