Enlightenment ideas such as natural rights, the social contract, popular sovereignty, and representative government greatly influenced the framers of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Constitution includes a clearly defined and intentionally rigorous process for amendment that requires state and federal participation and allows the Constitution to evolve and change

New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework standards for Grade 12 Government, covering constitutional foundations, civil rights and civil liberties, political and civic participation, and public policy. Part of the required one-year participation in government and economics course sequence. Developed by the New York State Education Department and aligned with the C3 Framework for Social Studies.