Resource Guide
for What the Constitution Means to Me
The United States Constitution
A brief history and description of America's founding document, to help you prepare for What the Constitution Means to Me.
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The Supreme Court
A brief overview of the history, culture, and society of the Victorian era in Great Britain provides context for the play.
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Women’s Rights Movements
At the core of What the Constitution Means to Me is the lack of explicit inclusion of women's rights in the U.S. Constitution. Often called the Feminist Movement, the pursuit of women’s rights has taken several “waves” as the needs of women have evolved over time.
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Intimate Partner & Family Violence
In What the Constitution Means to Me, the main character, Heidi, describes several instances of domestic violence and violence towards women. The following information was provided to the creative team at our first rehearsal.
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What the Constitution Means to Me Reading List
Calling all readers! Multnomah County Library put together a reading list inspired by our production of What the Constitution Means to Me.
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Debates
What the Constitution Means to Me features a live debate. Debate is an ancient form of competitive discourse that can take many forms.
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Cast & Creative Team
Meet the cast and creative team for What the Constitution Means to Me.
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The Constitution
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/3124115?read-now=1&seq=4#page_scan_tab_contents
- https://openyls.law.yale.edu/bitstream/handle/20.500.13051/5407/Women_and_the_Constitution.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y
- https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/26/opinions/equal-rights-amendment-constitution-murkowski-cardin/index.html
- https://www.equalitynow.org/news_and_insights/constitutional_equality_united_states_era/
- https://history.state.gov/milestones/1784-1800/convention-and-ratification
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/25162573?searchText=women%20and%20the%20constitution&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dwomen%2Band%2Bthe%2Bconstitution&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A49e67b50029a626b2392a2c4d4e64335
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/3174359?searchText=women%20and%20the%20constitution&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dwomen%2Band%2Bthe%2Bconstitution&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A49e67b50029a626b2392a2c4d4e64335
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/796491?searchText=women%20and%20the%20constitution&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dwomen%2Band%2Bthe%2Bconstitution&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A49e67b50029a626b2392a2c4d4e64335
- https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs
- https://www.equalrightsamendment.org/
- https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/why-there-are-no-women-in-the-constitution
- https://commonplace.online/article/women-and-the-constitution-why-the-constitution-includes-women/
- https://www.aei.org/articles/why-blacks-women-and-jews-are-not-mentioned-in-the-constitution/#:~:text=Not%20only%20are%20women%20not,women%20as%20a%20distinct%20group.
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nineteenth-Amendment
- https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/constitutional-convention-225th.htm
- https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript
- https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/white-papers/the-constitutional-convention-of-1787-a-revolution-in-government
The Supreme Court
- https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artIII-S1-4-1/ALDE_00013520/
- https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/about
- https://www.rockthevote.org/explainers/the-u-s-supreme-court-nomination-process/#:~:text=Like%20all%20federal%20judges%2C%20Supreme,Justices%20are%20appointed%20for%20life.
- https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/faq_general.aspx#:~:text=How%20are%20Supreme%20Court%20Justices,composition%20of%20the%20Supreme%20Court.
- https://edtechbooks.org/democracy/relationship
- https://www.oyez.org/justices
- https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/institution.aspx#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20Justices%20on,total%20of%20nine%20in%201869.
- https://www.history.com/news/7-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-u-s-supreme-court
- https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/faq_general.aspx
Women’s Rights Movements
- https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage
- https://www.britannica.com/event/womens-movement
- https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/20/women-rights-abortion-us-history-1116040
- https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/history-of-the-womens-rights-movement/
- https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Womens-Rights/
- https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/womens-history-us-timeline
- https://www.populationmedia.org/the-latest/history-of-womens-suffrage
- https://lithub.com/a-brief-history-of-womens-liberation-movements-in-america/
- https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&context=student_scholarship#:~:text=The%20movement%20began%20with%20a,on%20abortion%20rights%20as%20well.
- https://statusofwomendata.org/explore-the-data/reproductive-rights/#chapter
- https://library.law.howard.edu/civilrightshistory/women/reproductiverights
- https://www.history.com/news/reproductive-rights-timeline
- https://reproductiverights.org/our-issues/
- https://www.americanprogress.org/article/scarlet-letters-getting-the-history-of-abortion-and-contraception-right/
- https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-anthony-comstocks-chastity-laws/
Intimate Partner & Domestic Violence
- https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/fastfact.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/datasources/nisvs/FAQ.html
- https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2012/02/intimate-partner-violence
- https://apps.who.int/violence-info/intimate-partner-violence/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6278226/
- https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/what-is-domestic-abuse
- https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-RHR-HRP-13.06
Debates
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/opinion/sunday/school-debate-politics.html
- https://www.bloomu.edu/documents/forensics-intro-parliamentary-debate
- https://www.practice-space.org/debate_guide/resource-11-parliamentary-debate-format/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160409133842/http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/debatinginschools/gettingstarted/pointsofinformation/pointsofinfo.asp
- https://ispeechanddebate.com/programs/
- https://www.oxfordschools.net/learning-to-debate
- https://www.prosda.com/
- https://www.youtube.com/@oxfordschools7123/featured
- https://medium.com/@ronbratt1/how-are-debates-scored-11808ac9f7e7
- https://www.speechanddebate.org/
Thank you to our Education Program Sponsors!
Clark Foundation
H.W. Irwin & D.C.H. Irwin Foundation
Ray & Bobbi Davis
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
2023-2024 Season Superstars
Ronni Lacroute
2023-2024 Season Supporting Sponsors
Ray & Bobbi Davis
2023-2024 Season Producing Sponsors
Ellyn Bye
2023-2024 Guardians of the Arts
