What to Know About the Insurrection Act
What is the Insurrection Act, and when can it be used? This lesson helps students explore presidential powers, protests, and constitutional limits.
Note: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota as tensions rise over two shootings involving federal immigration agents. The 1807 Insurrection Act allows a president to deploy the military to enforce the law, particularly in cases of rebellion or civil unrest.
Warm-Up Questions
- Where is the Trump administration considering invoking the Insurrection Act?
- When was the Insurrection Act originally passed?
- What does the Insurrection Act allow presidents to do that they wouldn't otherwise be able to do?
- Why do presidents use the Insurrection Act?
- How has the Act been used by recent presidents?
Essential Questions
- Based on what you know about what is happening in Minnesota, why do you think Trump is threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act?
- Why do you think the president doesn't have the power to take actions such as ordering the military into cities without the act?
- Media literacy: What else would you like to know to better understand how and why the Insurrection Act is used?
What Students Can Do
For a fuller explanation of the Insurrection Act and what it might mean for the people of Minneapolis, watch the following segment. Then as a class, discuss —
- How might the Insurrection Act change the federal government's law enforcement or military presence in Minneapolis?
- Why do you think the president has not used this power yet this term, despite taking an aggressive approach to deploying federal agents in cities?
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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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