Explore
The Virginia Standards of Learning for Civics and Economics (CE.2 and CE.9) and, particularly, Virginia and United States Government. GOVT.8 specify that students “understand the organization and powers of the state and local governments described in the Constitution of Virginia” by, among other aspects, examining how individuals and groups exert influence on state and local governments and using historical or contemporary events to evaluate the effectiveness of citizen efforts to influence decisions by state and local governments. Virginia’s state constitutions track pivotal moments in the history of the Commonwealth and our nation as they enlarge and retract rights and privileges of Virginians.
Research shows that students who engage with interactive civics education are more likely to vote and be engaged in their communities. Civics education prepares students to participate more fully in a democratic society as informed citizens who understand the importance of voting and the promise and limitation of government. This is particularly important for Virginia’s increasingly diverse student population. A recent study by the Fordham Institute recommended that increased instructional time in social studies, which includes civics, increases reading comprehension and benefits most students from non-English-speaking homes.
The 1971 Constitution Project
Over the summer of 2021, student interns conducted a self-directed research project using the Library of Virginia collections and other resources to explore the effects of the 1971 Constitution fifty years after its ratification. Interns developed or strengthened their archival research skills, furthered their critical thinking within a digital humanities framework, and polished their presentation skills as part of the 1971 Constitution Project. They also developed collaborative skills as part of a professional team, with several key Library staff members supporting and mentoring their development. With the help of LVA staff, interns complete a digital project – website, data visualization, digital mapping, or other online resource – that is widely accessible to many different audiences. The 1971 Constitution Project interns decided to collaborate on a single website with different sections.
The Constitution Project team, including interns and staff, also explored diverse careers within cultural heritage institutions and different methods of working with history through guest speakers, which informed their final digital project.
The Constitution Project internships are funded through a generous donation to the Library of Virginia Foundation
In The Classroom
Information in this section is from the Virginia Constitution 1971: Curriculum for Undergraduate Courses by Dr. Derrick Lanois (Norfolk State University) and Dr. Emily Westkaemper (James Madison University).
View/download Curriculum for Undergraduate Courses
Studying the current Virginia constitution at its fiftieth anniversary provides opportunities to understand long-term continuities and changes in the history of Virginia and the U.S. Students could also apply their study of the context behind the Constitution of 1971 as part of an analysis of the complexities in current history and politics. Many of the topics addressed in the 1971 constitutional revisions, including civil rights, the role of government in dealing with equality and discrimination, public education, and conservation, feature prominently in current discourse.
The Curriculum for Undergraduate Courses includes background information, resource lists by topic, and assignment prompts. The assignment prompts are designed to work separately, combined, or adapted for the framework of an undergraduate course. An initial series of prompts focuses on historical context, the next series of prompts assesses continuity and change over time, and a series of questions asks students to consider the roles of multiple perspectives and vantage points in the development of the constitution. The “case study” guides provide background information, questions, primary source selections, and resources for further research. By developing a case study, students could apply analysis about context, continuity and change, and vantage points in focused exploration of a variety of topics.
Examples of the prompts for students are below. The section of the Curriculum it is drawn from is noted in bold.
- Context: 2021: You have been drafted by the Governor to lead a committee to create a new constitution in 2021–2022. What is the current context for creating this new constitution, and how will the context shape the development process and the content of the constitution? How will appointments to the committee be decided? (For example, how will politics, ideology, education, etc., shape the committee member selection?) How would you structure subcommittees and their duties? What will the goals of the new constitution be? As the leader of the committee, outline a Bill of Rights for the citizens of the Commonwealth.
- Context: 2021: Once you have created the new constitution, it is now time to sell it to the Commonwealth. Dick Howard toured the state promoting the 1971 constitution and getting feedback from citizens about their concerns. But Howard did not have access to social media. How will you and your committee create a campaign using the fourth estate (newspapers and television—old media) alongside new media such as social media and podcasting to get feedback, address concerns, and to sell the new constitution? What role if any do new and old media have in the process of creating the new constitution, or is their job only to report it?
- Change Over Time During the time of its ratification, how did the 1971 Virginia Constitution reflect continuity and how did it reflect change? Comparing the 1971 constitution with the constitution it replaced, identify three key differences. To consider how these differences relate to social continuity and change, examine other primary sources reflecting the context of Virginia in the 1960s –1970s
- Vantage Point: What do the opinions offered through letters and participation in public comment meetings about the Constitution of 1971 reveal about everyday life and activism? Select a topic that is described in multiple public comments (such as voting age or schools). Using primary sources including the final text of the 1971 Constitution and news articles showing how the constitution was applied, how did the 1971 Constitution incorporate the perspectives of these individuals?
- Case Study: Gender: The 1960s and 1970s reflect continuities and changes in the history of women, gender, and sexuality. How did this historical context shape the Virginia constitution? What does the history of the Virginia constitution reveal about the history of gender in Virginia and in the United States?
