The idea for Straight-Up History came with the realization that the U.S. Constitution is a hard document to digest. I was challenged to find a way to lay out the document that made reading it a bit easier... and heck, maybe even fun.
When I was brainstorming about how to do that, I realized something else – not only is it hard (and not exciting) to read all of that text, it’s hard to understand it! Especially at a third-grade reading level, which is when children begin learning about the Constitution.
When I was brainstorming about how to do that, I realized something else – not only is it hard (and not exciting) to read all of that text, it’s hard to understand it! Especially at a third-grade reading level, which is when children begin learning about the Constitution.
After some thought and reflection on my own experience in history classes, I realized that this isn’t only a problem with our Constitution, but historical documents in general. And beyond that, maybe even the entire topic of U.S. history can be a challenge for anyone, from children to adults, to take on.
Straight-Up History strives to create tools that make understanding all of the important details about our history and government easier and more fun for everyone.
U.S. Constitution
This simple Constitution booklet is designed to teach people not only what exactly the Constitution says, but what it means as well. I included keywords next to the articles and amendments to make locating information easier and faster for readers.
Use of Color
The entire brand sticks to five main colors, and the colors help people navigate their way through each piece of material. In the Constitution booklet, it is used to help readers to know what section of the Constitution they are reading.
Checks & Balances Poster
I designed this poster to show what bodies each of the three branches of U.S. government consist of, and what checks and balances they have over each other. It also discusses the importance of separation of powers in our government.
My design relies heavily on color. Each branch is assigned a color, and then the color indicates which branch each branch has checking powers over. For example, when examining the checking powers of the legislative branch, the powers in the green section refer to the powers that the legislative branch has over the judicial branch.