Civics
for All of US

No Conscription Without Representation: Voting Rights and the Constitution

Grades 9-12
30 mins
Members of the military are lined up in their uniforms in the field to vote one by one
Members of the United States Air Force with their ballots in hand, are ready to exercise their freedom to vote under field conditions. Published in AIRMAN Magazine October 1996. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6499293
Using the Constitution, constitutional amendments, legislation, and a Supreme Court case, students will explore the progression of voting rights in the United States with particular focus on the effort to lower the voting age to 18. Additional primary source documents from the National Archives, including photographs, video recordings, and political cartoons, will enhance student understanding of the ways in which contemporary events and public civic engagement influence their lives today.

This Civics for All of US distance learning program is available for groups of 10 or more students free of charge. 

Each program will be led by one of our educators located at National Archives sites, the Center for Legislative Archives, and Presidential Libraries across the country. After submitting your program request, you will be connected to an available National Archives educator to confirm your reservation. 

We require that the requesting educator or another educator from your institution be present during the student distance learning program to observe the session and support classroom management.

Check out the teacher guide for this program for optional pre- and post program activities.

No Conscription Without Representation: Voting Rights and the Constitution Teacher GuideDownload

Programs are also offered as regularly scheduled interactive webinars. Registration is required, but there is no minimum attendance prerequisite.

Questions? Please email civics@nara.gov.

Request this Program

Select an available date and time. Program start time adjustments within the hour can be noted in the comments of the registration form.