INTRODUCTION

You are a Mormon living in the Utah territory in the 1870s. You are living with, and are legally married to Mary Ann Tuddenham. You now want to legally marry a second woman, Amelia Jane Schofield. Utah authorities arrested you for bigamy; this is in violation of a congressional law prohibiting bigamy. You believed the authorities were wrong in arresting you. Your religion allowed polygamy; therefore you should be allowed to have more than one wife. The constitution says that you have freedom of religion. Should you be allowed to have more than one wife, even if it is against the law, just because it is your religious practice?

TASK

Ø Your task is to decide whether your right to Freedom of religion is protected even when it involves acts against the law.

Ø You will take a position on the issue.

Ø You will read the case Reynolds v. United States

Ø You will write a brief explaining the facts of the case.

Ø You will analyze the facts of the case using the Compu Legal System

Ø You will research cases, which set a precedent for this case.

Ø You will examine the arguments of the case.

Ø Your group will write a report for an oral presentation defending your position.

PROCESS

Ø Your class will be divided into groups of 5. Each group member will be assigned a task.

Ø Your class will analyze the case using the Compulegal system

Ø Each group will take a position on the case.

Ø Your position must be defended through legal facts. In order to do this you need to review other cases which discuss Free Exercise of Religion

Ø After you write your position on the issue, read the Court's decision

Ø Write a one page essay explaining why the Supreme Court made this decision.

Ø As a group, you must decide why you agree or disagree with the court.

Ø The oral presentation will be due after the written report is submitted. The oral presentation must be at least 15 minutes. Each member must participate. Your oral presentation must include the facts of the case, the issue of the case, the arguments presented by each side, the decision and reasoning of the court and your agreement or disagreement with the decision.

Ø You must follow the brief format I have provided for you.

RESOURCES

To complete your task you will need assistance. You can begin by visiting the following websites:

Project Legal Resources

Reynolds v. United States 1878

Constitutional Rights Foundation

First Amendment Cyber Tribune

Religious Rights

EVALUATION

Your grade will be based on the written and oral materials submitted and presented.

Your grade will reflect your collaborative and individual work.

To evaluate your work, the following rubric will be used.

Category	Grade A	Grade B	Grade C	Grade D	Total
Knowledge	Shows understanding of the topic.	Shows a good understanding of the topic.	Presents satisfactory understanding of the topic	Shows little understanding of the topic.
Completion of Task	Addresses all aspects of the task.	Addresses all aspects of the task.	Addresses most aspects of the task.	Attempts to address topic, but uses vague and /or inaccurate information
Facts	Richly supports topic with relevant facts, examples and details	Includes relevant facts, examples and details, but not support all aspects of the case	Uses some relevant facts, examples and details.	Uses little facts, examples, or details.
Oral Presentation	Presents a strong and well organized case or point of view.	Presents point of view and is organized.	Presents weak point of view but is not well organized.	Point of view is very weak and lacks organization.

ADVICE

Please follow all instructions. Read very carefully.

If you have any questions at all come to me immediately. If you find other resources consult with me.

Good Luck

Standards Addressed

Social Studies: S5 – Civics, Citizenship and Government.

ELA Standards: S1- Students will read, write, listen and speak in English.