Constitutional Chats Presented By Constituting America

What does it mean that the First Amendment protects our rights to freedom of speech, right to freedom of the press, right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and right to peaceably assemble?   In part 3 of our "Bill of Rights & YOU!" series, Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Professor Erin Hawley on the process...

What does it mean when the First Amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," also known as the freedom of religion? In part 2 of our "Bill of Rights & YOU!" series, Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Tova Love Kaplan interview Professor Kevin Gutzman on the historical context of religious liberty in the United St...

How the Bill of Rights protects the rights of individuals and states, and the first ten amendments came to be! In part 1 of our "Bill of Rights & YOU!" series, Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Dr. David Bobb, President of the Bill of Rights Institute, on the historical context and purpose of the Bill of Rights! Livestreamed on 10...

The electoral college system can be confusing, so we did a special episode - just for kids - on how the electoral college works! Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Tara Ross, author of the children's book, "We Elect a President," on why the electoral college was created and why it's still important today! Livestreamed on 09/29/2020...

How do electors get chosen for different states and political parties, and what do they actually do in the electoral college? Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Christine Pelosi, 2016 California Democrat Elector, and Martha Jenkins, 2004 & 2016 North Carolina Republican Elector, on how they were each selected, what their experience...

What exactly happened when delegates from all 13 states met to write the Constitution? In Part 7, the final installment of the "Breaking Down the Constitution" series, Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview author James D. Best on the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, how the Preamble serves as the "elevator pitch" for the...

How the Founding Fathers made the Constitution the supreme law of the land via Article VI, and the outlined Constitution's ratification process in Article VII! In Part 6 of the "Breaking Down the Constitution" series, Janine Turner, Jeanette Kraynak, and Lisa Williams interview former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement on the history of the supremacy clause and the scope of federal government, ho...

How the Founding Fathers laid the groundwork for each state's republican form of government and relationships between the states and the federal government in Article IV, and the processes for proposing and ratifying amendments to the Constitution in Article V! In Part 5 of the "Breaking Down the Constitution" series, Cathy Gillespie and Constituting America National Youth Director Tova Love Kapla...

How the Judicial Branch's responsibilities are enumerated in Article III of the Constitution, and what powers "We, the People" have granted the Supreme Court and other federal courts! In Part 4 of the "Breaking Down the Constitution" series, actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Professor Joerg Knipprath o...

How the Executive Branch's responsibilities are enumerated in Article II of the Constitution, and what powers "We, the People" have granted the President! In Part 2 of the "Breaking Down the Constitution" series, actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, Constituting America National Youth Director Tova Love Kaplan, and guest student panelists Wyatt & Jonah Hensley interview Hillsdale Professor Will...

How the Executive Branch's responsibilities are enumerated in Article II of the Constitution, and what powers "We, the People" have granted the President! In Part 2 of the "Breaking Down the Constitution" series, actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and guest student panelists Wyatt & Jonah Hensley interview Hillsdale Professor William Morrisey on the historical and modern role of the executive...

Should ZIP code determine where students go to school, or should students and parents get to choose? Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview film producer Micheal Flaherty on the issue of school choice. Livestreamed on 08/15/2020. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at https://www.constitutinga...

How the Legislature's responsibilities are enumerated in Article I of the Constitution, and what powers "We, the People" have granted the House of Representatives and the Senate! In Part 1 of the "Breaking Down the Constitution" series, actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Dr. Colleen Sheehan, discussing...

How Federalist 85 summarizes Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay's arguments for ratifying the Constitution, and lobbies for the colonists to "not make the perfect the enemy of the good." Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassador Tova Love Kaplan   interview Hillsdale's Professor Adam Carrington on Alexander Hamilton's closing message in Federa...

How Federalist 81 explains the Constitution separating state court systems from the federal court system, and the powers and limitations of each! Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Michigan Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren, on Alexander Hamilton's message in Federalist Paper #81 and its continued expl...

How Federalist 78 explains separating the Judicial Branch out from the Legislature! Cathy Gillespie, Jeanette Kraynak, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Hillsdale Professor William Morrisey, on Alexander Hamilton's message in Federalist Paper #78 and how it set up the newly formed Judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Livestreamed on...

How are different school systems across the United States handling the beginning of the 2020-21 school year as the Coronavirus pandemic continues? Cathy Gillespie, Jay McConville, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Elizabeth Schultz, Fairfax County School Board Member Emeritus, on the different avenues schools and states are pursuing, and how...

In celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, securing women the right to vote in the United States! Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Senator Marsha Blackburn (TN) and her daughter, Mary Morgan Ketchel, on their new children's book, "Camilla Can Vote," about the...

Does TikTok pose a national security risk? Is the app appropriately handling the personal data of its users? Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Shane Tews on the U.S.'s concerns about TikTok's data privacy and global security risks, and what app users can do to protect themselves from such risks. Livest...

How Federalist 62 warned against long and confusing laws! Actress Janine Turner, Constituting America Student Ambassador Tova Love Kaplan, and Peter Roff interview Professor Joseph Knippenberg on Federalist Paper #62, which discusses the setup of the Senate. Livestreamed on 07/07/2020. Sign up for our next Constitutional Chat via Zoom at https://www.constitutingamerica.org

Hear the words of the Declaration of Independence read by Constitutional Chats hosts actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and student panelists Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman! Afterwords, our team discusses the global impact of our Declaration, its lasting effects, and more with our guest, author Tony Williams!

Is removing statues of historic figures rewriting history? Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Professor Bill McClay on providing historical context for the figures of the past; how, when, and if to decide to remove statues; and how Americans can ensure that the past is remembered and learned from, even...

How Federalist 51 explained the checks and balances and separation of powers delineated in the Constitution! Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Dr. Bobbi Herzberg on Federalist Paper #51 and the strengths of checking power between the branches of the national government, as well as between state and fed...

The history of Juneteenth! On June 19, 1865, slaves in Galveston, TX were notified - two years after the Emancipation Proclamation - that the Civil War had ended and they were freed from slavery. Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Horace Cooper on the history of Juneteenth in Texas, the context under wh...

How Federalist 39 explained the intent of the Constitutional Convention to create the framework for a Republican form of government! Actress Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, and Constituting America Student Ambassadors Tova Love Kaplan and Dakare Chatman interview Professor Lucas Morel and Val Crofts on Federalist Paper #39 and how the differences between federal government and national government,...