What do you think?
Rate this book
Constitution Alive!, Class Workbook
Constitution Alive! Workbook is an in-depth course on the original intent of the Constitution! Join Rick Green, Constitutional expert and one fo the leading voices for the original intent of our founding documents, in this one-of-a-kind course on the meaning of the Constitution! This spiral bound 224 page Workbook teaches about executive orders, recess appointments, the electoral college, judicial tyranny, freedom of religion, and so much more!
223 pages, Spiral-bound
First published June 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 29, 2024
THE WORKBOOK THAT ATTENDS THE POPULAR CLASSES
Rick Green is the founder of Patriot Academy, as well as a radio talk show host, who travels around the country with his family, teaching on the Constitution. [NOTE: page numbers below refer to the 256-page paperback edition, not the spiral-bound notebook version.]
He wrote in the ‘Acknowledgements’ of this 2012 book (which has been revised/updated many times since then), “I’ve been named ‘America’s Constitution Coach’ because I’ve taken more than 100,000 people through this citizen guide to the Constitution and my goal is to put 10 million through it over the next few years. You, too, can be a Constitution Coach by simply sharing this information and hosting your own classes using these materials… Though an attorney (please do not hold that against me!) and former Texas State Representative involved in defending our founding principles for twenty years, I am not, by a long shot, the foremost expert on the Constitution. In fact, I am just like you. I am a citizen that is learning as I go.
“One of the great benefits of co-hosting ‘Wallbuilders Live!’ with David Barton … is the privilege of always learning new things about the Constitution and new pieces of history that help me to understand the document even more. I have the privilege of working with someone who IS one of the foremost experts on the Founding Fathers and our Founding Documents, David Barton. Through my work with David, I also get to interview and spend time with some of the greatest legal and constitutional minds of our day… I include all of that information to simply say that you do not need to be an attorney or professor or any other kind of ‘expert’ to study the Constitution and understand the principles of America. In this class, we will ... admonish... America’s Founders for ‘every citizen,’ regardless of background, education, or position, to read and study the Constitution. The very purpose of this book is to give all of us the tools to do that.”
The Workbook (and thus the Course) goes section by section through the Constitution, including short relevant quotes, followed by ‘fill in the blanks’ statements (to which the answers are found in the back of the book). For example, it states, “The abolitionist founding fathers fought slavery on the basis of the laws of nature. Early American law books called homosexuality a ‘crime against nature.’" The student is asked, “The phrase ‘the laws of nature and nature’s God came from _____ ______ ___ ___ ____ [Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Law].
The ‘fill in’ statements are reinforcing the positions of Green and Barton, rather than simply reinforcing the words of the Constitution; e.g., “Two days after writing the phrase ‘separation of church and state,’ Thomas Jefferson attended the weekly church service held at [the U.S. Capitol]. These were religious services that he had helped to start and faithfully attended throughout the remainder of his presidency.” (Pg. 78)
In Appendix B [What About Separation of Church & State], he argues, “The phrase of ‘separation of church and state’ was not even introduced into the American vernacular until a little over a decade after the First Amendment was adopted. The phrase is exactly that---a phrase. It is not a statute, it is not a law, and it is not an amendment to the Constitution. It is simply a phrase lifted from a letter written by one of our Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was writing to the Danbury Baptist Association on January 1, 1802, in response to a letter wherein they raised their concerns about religious liberty ever being infringed by the American government. Jefferson responded that this would not occur because the Constitution builds ‘a wall of separation between Church and State.’ So much has been erroneously inferred from that one statement…
“Simply stated, Jefferson was using the phrase to describe the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, which says, ‘or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ The protection of our rights to live out our faith without government interference is what was being expressed both in the letter and in the First Amendment. The Supreme Court twisted the meaning of the First Amendment by isolating those eight words from this personal letter from Jefferson. They did not even consider the letter in its full context. Then, in 1962, the Court used the phrase to completely remove God from all government institutions. It is amazing how the court can ignore history and rewrite it to fulfill their particular agenda and purpose…
“Perhaps even worse than misapplying Jefferson’s words is the fact that Jefferson’s words were used in the first place as a means for discovering the intent of the First Amendment. Actually, Thomas Jefferson and his words ‘separation of church and state’ are irrelevant when it comes to interpreting the intended meaning of the First Amendment because Jefferson did not give us the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.” (Pg. 114-115)
In Appendix C (written by David Barton), he argues, “when important terms become unfamiliar to citizens, they can be severed from their original meanings and given new interpretations that not only are unwarranted by the Constitution but even negate its intent. For example, in 1998, Bill Clinton was accused of committing perjury and obstruction of justice while president, but his supporters argued that these crimes did not rise to the level of impeachable offenses because they were not ‘high crimes’ under the Constitution. (They argued that ‘high crimes’ did not include felonies in a civil proceeding but rather criminal felonies such as treason, murder, etc.) Yet the historic definition of ‘high crimes’ in the Constitution was a wrongdoing committed by a person in a ‘high’ office (such as the president or a federal judge, in contrast to a local school board member or city dogcatcher.) Therefore, a civil felony committed in office by the president did indeed constitute a ‘high crime’ and definitely was an impeachable offense, but few citizens understood this because they were unfamiliar with that clause of the Constitution.” (Pg. 117)
In the Appendix C section, ‘Is Nullification the Solution… a Constitutional Analysis,’ Barton states, “The frustration behind modern nullification talk can be easily understood, and even though many may sympathize with its overall objectives, every citizen who loves his country and his Constitution must renounce, reject, and oppose this maldoctrine, boldly confronting it in every venue where it raises its venomous head. Nullification is the hallmark of selfishness and anarchy, whether by citizens or states, is not a cherished American virtue. To the contrary, a characteristic of America’s greatness has been an unwavering dedication not only to follow the rule of law but also to expend as much time and energy necessary, no matter how long it takes, to make needed changes through the constitutional process, whether by the use of courts or through elections. While this is admittedly a much slower process, there is never an end-around for doing what is right, nor can right be secured by pursuing wrong.” (Pg. 140)
Both Green and Barton are strong advocates of establishing (or in their interpretation, reestablishing) the U.S. as a ‘Christian nation.’ Persons with such an orientation will enjoy this book. Others may find it a biased and skewed interpretation, and strongly reject it.
Rick Green is the founder of Patriot Academy, as well as a radio talk show host, who travels around the country with his family, teaching on the Constitution. [NOTE: page numbers below refer to the 256-page paperback edition, not the spiral-bound notebook version.]
He wrote in the ‘Acknowledgements’ of this 2012 book (which has been revised/updated many times since then), “I’ve been named ‘America’s Constitution Coach’ because I’ve taken more than 100,000 people through this citizen guide to the Constitution and my goal is to put 10 million through it over the next few years. You, too, can be a Constitution Coach by simply sharing this information and hosting your own classes using these materials… Though an attorney (please do not hold that against me!) and former Texas State Representative involved in defending our founding principles for twenty years, I am not, by a long shot, the foremost expert on the Constitution. In fact, I am just like you. I am a citizen that is learning as I go.
“One of the great benefits of co-hosting ‘Wallbuilders Live!’ with David Barton … is the privilege of always learning new things about the Constitution and new pieces of history that help me to understand the document even more. I have the privilege of working with someone who IS one of the foremost experts on the Founding Fathers and our Founding Documents, David Barton. Through my work with David, I also get to interview and spend time with some of the greatest legal and constitutional minds of our day… I include all of that information to simply say that you do not need to be an attorney or professor or any other kind of ‘expert’ to study the Constitution and understand the principles of America. In this class, we will ... admonish... America’s Founders for ‘every citizen,’ regardless of background, education, or position, to read and study the Constitution. The very purpose of this book is to give all of us the tools to do that.”
The Workbook (and thus the Course) goes section by section through the Constitution, including short relevant quotes, followed by ‘fill in the blanks’ statements (to which the answers are found in the back of the book). For example, it states, “The abolitionist founding fathers fought slavery on the basis of the laws of nature. Early American law books called homosexuality a ‘crime against nature.’" The student is asked, “The phrase ‘the laws of nature and nature’s God came from _____ ______ ___ ___ ____ [Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Law].
The ‘fill in’ statements are reinforcing the positions of Green and Barton, rather than simply reinforcing the words of the Constitution; e.g., “Two days after writing the phrase ‘separation of church and state,’ Thomas Jefferson attended the weekly church service held at [the U.S. Capitol]. These were religious services that he had helped to start and faithfully attended throughout the remainder of his presidency.” (Pg. 78)
In Appendix B [What About Separation of Church & State], he argues, “The phrase of ‘separation of church and state’ was not even introduced into the American vernacular until a little over a decade after the First Amendment was adopted. The phrase is exactly that---a phrase. It is not a statute, it is not a law, and it is not an amendment to the Constitution. It is simply a phrase lifted from a letter written by one of our Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was writing to the Danbury Baptist Association on January 1, 1802, in response to a letter wherein they raised their concerns about religious liberty ever being infringed by the American government. Jefferson responded that this would not occur because the Constitution builds ‘a wall of separation between Church and State.’ So much has been erroneously inferred from that one statement…
“Simply stated, Jefferson was using the phrase to describe the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, which says, ‘or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ The protection of our rights to live out our faith without government interference is what was being expressed both in the letter and in the First Amendment. The Supreme Court twisted the meaning of the First Amendment by isolating those eight words from this personal letter from Jefferson. They did not even consider the letter in its full context. Then, in 1962, the Court used the phrase to completely remove God from all government institutions. It is amazing how the court can ignore history and rewrite it to fulfill their particular agenda and purpose…
“Perhaps even worse than misapplying Jefferson’s words is the fact that Jefferson’s words were used in the first place as a means for discovering the intent of the First Amendment. Actually, Thomas Jefferson and his words ‘separation of church and state’ are irrelevant when it comes to interpreting the intended meaning of the First Amendment because Jefferson did not give us the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.” (Pg. 114-115)
In Appendix C (written by David Barton), he argues, “when important terms become unfamiliar to citizens, they can be severed from their original meanings and given new interpretations that not only are unwarranted by the Constitution but even negate its intent. For example, in 1998, Bill Clinton was accused of committing perjury and obstruction of justice while president, but his supporters argued that these crimes did not rise to the level of impeachable offenses because they were not ‘high crimes’ under the Constitution. (They argued that ‘high crimes’ did not include felonies in a civil proceeding but rather criminal felonies such as treason, murder, etc.) Yet the historic definition of ‘high crimes’ in the Constitution was a wrongdoing committed by a person in a ‘high’ office (such as the president or a federal judge, in contrast to a local school board member or city dogcatcher.) Therefore, a civil felony committed in office by the president did indeed constitute a ‘high crime’ and definitely was an impeachable offense, but few citizens understood this because they were unfamiliar with that clause of the Constitution.” (Pg. 117)
In the Appendix C section, ‘Is Nullification the Solution… a Constitutional Analysis,’ Barton states, “The frustration behind modern nullification talk can be easily understood, and even though many may sympathize with its overall objectives, every citizen who loves his country and his Constitution must renounce, reject, and oppose this maldoctrine, boldly confronting it in every venue where it raises its venomous head. Nullification is the hallmark of selfishness and anarchy, whether by citizens or states, is not a cherished American virtue. To the contrary, a characteristic of America’s greatness has been an unwavering dedication not only to follow the rule of law but also to expend as much time and energy necessary, no matter how long it takes, to make needed changes through the constitutional process, whether by the use of courts or through elections. While this is admittedly a much slower process, there is never an end-around for doing what is right, nor can right be secured by pursuing wrong.” (Pg. 140)
Both Green and Barton are strong advocates of establishing (or in their interpretation, reestablishing) the U.S. as a ‘Christian nation.’ Persons with such an orientation will enjoy this book. Others may find it a biased and skewed interpretation, and strongly reject it.
March 15, 2022
Our constitution is longest serving one in the history of the world, yet most people don't even know what our inalienable rights are. Most citizens know about their right to free speech and their right to freely worship whatever God they choose. Some might be familiar with the freedom of the press. However, most do not know that we have the right to assemble and to petition. This course outlines everything you need to know about our constitution from the mindset of those that created it, to how far we've deviated from it, to why we need to get back on course, and finally, to how we, the people, can create or repeal amendments.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews