Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was a 2010 Supreme Court case that ruled that the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act’s ban on corporations using general funds for independent political spending violated the First Amendment’s free speech protection. This ruling effectively enabled corporations to spend uncapped amounts of money on political campaigns. In this inquiry, students will investigate the compelling question, “How did Citizens United impact elections?”
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
How did Citizens United impact elections?
Standards
D2.His.14.9-12. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
Instructional Snapshot
Teachers may begin class by briefly describing the Citizens United case–when it was decided and its outcome. Students then begin with the collaboration stage to examine arguments from two US senators regarding the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling in 2010. Working in pairs or small groups, students compare senators’ positions, identify which senators support or oppose the ruling, and evaluate the reasoning used to justify their positions, using a graphic organizer to track their thinking. Students will then transition to the deliberation stage to examine data on private campaign funding and election spending since 2010. Students use this data to discuss how the available evidence supports or challenges each senator’s claim, adding to the graphic organizer as they go. The lesson concludes with students producing evidence and reasoning to support the senator whose argument they find most convincing, using the campaign finance data from the lesson.
Formative Tasks
COLLABORATE: Compare arguments about the Citizens United ruling, identifying supporters and opponents.
DELIBERATE: Identify data from private campaign funding that supports each senator’s argument.
PRODUCE: Produce evidence and reasoning to support the senator that students most agree with.
Sources
Source A: U.S. Government Printing Office, “We the People? Corporate Spending in American Elections After Citizens United, 2010, Library of Congress
Source B: By the Numbers: 15 Years of Citizens United, OpenSecrets
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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