The U.S. Capitol Historical Society (USCHS) is celebrating Constitution Day by presenting a learning activity that highlights the 15^th and l7th Amendments of the Constitution.  The 15^th Amendment ratified in 1870 granted suffrage to African American men; the 17^th Amendment of 1913 granted the power to elect senators to the citizens of each state.

       Middle/senior high school teachers and students will have the opportunity to learn more about these Amendments by downloading a lesson plan that examines the historical aspects of the amendments through a political cartoon by Thomas Nast that appeared in Harper’s Weekly on April 9, 1870.  The subject of the cartoon is Hiram Revels (R-1870-71), the first African American elected to the Senate.  Senator Revels was called the “15^th Amendment in Flesh and Blood.”

      The Constitution Day Lesson Plan is available on the USCHS website link:  http://www.uschs.org/Content/215.htm.  The Society encourages posting this link as part of your educational activities for students.