Lesson 34 - How Do the Fifth through Eighth Amendments Protect Our Rights within the Judicial System?

South Dakota Application

1. How does South Dakota law enforcement and court system protect the rights of those accused of crimes?
2. What is the history of the death penalty in South Dakota?

Activities

1. Guiding questions can be addressed in activities from Lessons 25, 32, 33 (video clips & field trip)
2. Have the students research the history of the death penalty in South Dakota (including the origins of the death penalty, means of execution, and the number of executions).
3. Assign each student an argument either for or against the death penalty. Have the students debate the issue of the death penalty as it pertains to the eighth amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
4. Students can read passages about the death penalty being used in SD. Students can write an essay index card response to this question: “If a role of the government is to protect life, when, if ever, is it justified in taking a life?”

*Obtain/insert passages from Archives display about death penalty.  

Assessment

List and explain the Bill of Rights of the United States and include an application to South Dakota.