Current Event:

The administration of President Barack Obama has officially rejected an online petition urging the United States to build a Star Wars-like Death Star. The Death Star, which appeared in several of the Star Wars movies, was a moon-sized space vehicle that had a superweapon capable of destroying an entire planet with one blast. The petition to build a Death Star was submitted to the White House’s “We the People” website. The website was established in 2011, as a way for people “to petition the government for a redress of grievances” as guaranteed by the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Imperial storm troopers from the Star Wars movies appear on a United States stamp. (Credit: United States Postal Service)

Objective:

The United States won its independence from Britain in the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). In 1787, delegates from 12 of the 13 original colonies wrote the Constitution to establish the national government and define the rights and liberties of the American people. Four years later, 10 amendments called the Bill of Rights were added to the Constitution. The first amendment guaranteed the right of the people “to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore the Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. (You can also learn about Star Wars and other science-fiction movies!)

Words to Know:

• Amendment
• Bill of Rights
• Constitution of the United States
• George Lucas
• Barack Obama
• Office of Management and Budget
• Science fiction
• Star Wars
• Strategic Defense Initiative
• White House

Discussion Topics:

1. The right of the people “to petition the government for a redress of grievances” is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Ask your students to name other amendments in the Bill of Rights. (They might say freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, right to bear arms, cruel and unusual punishment is prohibited.) Ask your students if they can name any of the signers of the Constitution. (They might say George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton.)
2. The U.S. Constitution has 27 amendments. Ask your students to write an amendment that they would add to the Constitution.
3. Have your students go to the “We the People” website and submit or sign a petition. (You may need to be careful about age appropriateness.)
4. Have your students debate the topic “It would be a good idea for the United States to own a superweapon that could destroy planets.”
5. Ask your students to use the World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of the ratification dates of the amendments to the U.S. Constitution. (Or, ask your students to use the World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of notable science-fiction books and movies.)