Lesson: Forming a Government
Standards:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8. 5 & 7CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8. 2B & 5
Objective:Investigate the successes of the Articles of Confederation.
Day 1
Explicit Vocabulary
Constitution - a single document that sets out the laws and principles of government.
Unicameral - a single body.
Benjamin Rush’s words were spoken in
January 1787. It reflected many
Americans feelings on the American
Revolution.
Benjamin Rush was a respected doctor
that set up the nations first free clinic.
He was very outspoken and earlier he
convinced Thomas Paine to write his
pamphlet, Common Sense.
“The American war is over: but this is far from being the case with the American
Revolution. On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the great drama is closed. It
remains yet to establish and perfect our new government,”
- Benjamin Rush
What was Rush trying to say in his quote?
With the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the
Treaty of Paris their now was a need to set up a form of
government for the American people.
The idea of Democratic
Republicanism that power
rests with the people was a
major, was a main concern to
many colonists.
States constitutionsspelled out all the rights of
all citizens while also
setting limits on the powerof government.
During the Revolution, most states wrote their ownConstitutions.
A common feature between stategovernments immediately after
the revolution a weak executive,
or leader.
Recall: According to John Lockeand the architects of theDeceleration of Independence,what were the rights all citizenswere guaranteed?
The states formed 13 separate governments, the Continental
Congress drafted a plan for the nation as a whole.
The states were unwilling to turn
over their power to a national
government. After many debates,
the Continental Congress
completed the first American
Constitution, The Articles of
Confederation in 1781.
Accessing Prior Knowledge: In what instance did the individual colonies fear losing theirpower ?
Under the Articles of Confederation:
1. All states agrees to send delegates toCongress to vote on proposals.
2. Congress would pass the laws, but atleast 9 of the 13 states had to approveof the law before it can pass.
3. Congress could not pass taxes, thestates had to control over taxes.
4. Congress had the right to declare war,appoint military officers, and create andcontrol coin money.
The man most influential in the
development of the Articles of
Confederation was John
Dickinson.
The authors of the Articles of Confederation
believed that a strong central government
threatens the rights of the people and the
states.
The Articles of Confederation created a league of free and
independent states.
The legislature organized under the Articles of Confederation
was unicameral. Each state had one representative.
One contribution of the Articles of
Confederation was the beginnings
of federalism, division of power
between the state governments
and the national government.
Thinking Critically: What were the potential benefits of a unicameral legislature?
Lesson: Weaknesses of the Articles
Standards:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8. 4 & 7CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8. 2B, 4, & 6
Objective:Investigate the failures of the Articles of Confederation;determine why many felt a new plan of government wasneeded.
Day 2
The United States owed millions of dollars and had no way to
pay its debts. Congress was unable to pay the national debt
because it did not have the power to tax. Congress would ask
for money to repay these debts. States had the right to turn
down the requests of Congress.
Articles of Confederation lacked the ability to control
interstate commerce. During the Revolution Congress solved
their problems by printing paper money, Continental dollars.
Without gold or silver to
back up the paper money,
the paper money retained
little or no value. The
Continental dollars became
worthless causing states to
print their own paper
money. The problem with
this was that most states
refused to accept money
from another state.
The Ordinance of 1785
created a policy to sell the
Northwest territory to
farmers and outlawed
slavery. When the population
in a territory or section
reached 60,000 they can
apply to the United States to
become a state.
An important accomplishment of the central government under
the Articles of Confederation was development of guidelines
for the admission of new states into the Union. Northwest
Ordinance helped create a process for becoming a state.
The Ordinance called for the territory to be divided into sections
or townships.
In time five states were carved out of the Northwest Territory,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.
The system shown in the diagram was developed under the Articles of
Confederation in order to
A) divide lands seized from the Loyalists
B) provide an orderly system of development for the Northwest Territory
C) remove Native American Indians to areas west of the Appalachian Mountains
D) extend slavery as the nation grew
During the Revolution, the demand for farm
products was high. The farmers were eager
to produce more food borrowing money.
Many farmers could not repay their loans.
The banks and courts seized the farms of
the people that did not repay.
After the Revolution, the nation
suffered an economic depression,
a period when business activity
slows, prices and wages drop, and
unemployment rises.
Accessing Prior Knowledge: What effect does theincrease in demand have on the prices on products?
In 1786 the unhappy farmers flared into a
rebellion. They were determined to save
their debt-ridden farms.
Daniel Shays, an unhappy farmer
gathered a force of 2,000 farmers and led
them into a rebellion attacking court
houses and preventing the sale of their
property for payment of debts.
Shays’ Rebellion created a demand for a
stronger central government.
Thinking Critically: How would a stronger centralizedgovernment help prevent issues such as Shays’ Rebellion?
The government that was
created under the Articles of
Confederation briefly lasted
because the government
lacked the ability to enforce
its authority.
George Washington felt that the Articles of Confederation had
to be changed to help meet the needs of the farmers. In May
1787 the leaders of several states met to discuss this issue in
a convention.
Events/Acts Under the Articles of Confederation
Describe the Event/Act Success or Failure How did it help or hurt the government?
Developing a National Currency
The Northwest Ordinance
Shays' Rebellion
Successes & Failures of the Articles of Confederation
Exit Ticket:The Americans were weary of a strong central government.Creating the Articles of Confederation unifies the states but onlyloosely.
• Were the Articles of Confederation destined to fail fromthe beginning? Was a strong central government requiredto unite the states? Explain your answer.
Lesson: The New York State Constitution of 1777
Standards:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8. 1, 2, & 7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8. 10
Objective: Examine the New York State Constitution, its main ideas andprovisions, and its influence on the formation of the United StatesConstitution.
Explain how the United States Constitution attempted to address theweaknesses of the Articles.
Do Now:
• How did the economic depression effect farmers?
Day 3
Explicit Vocabulary
Bicameral - two bodies.
Bill of Rights - lists freedoms that the government promises to protect.
New York State government also
differed with the constitution calling
for an executive branch, a
legislative branch, and a judicial
branch.
This would directly influence the
authors of the constitution who
noted the effectiveness of
separating powers in order to
ensure fairness and impartiality.
The Constitution of New York was ratified on April 20, 1777.
The Constitution addressed the provision of self-government
in the new state following the Declaration of Independence.
Unlike the Articles of Confederation, the New York state
government has a bicameral legislature.
Colonists were too concerned about putting too much power
in the hands of a few people. To avoid this they divided the
powers of government between an executive and the
legislative part.
Every state had a legislature that passed laws. The voters
elected lawmakers.
Accessing Prior Knowledge: In what form of government do people elect others to makedecisions on their behalf?
Power in the legislature was divided between the upper
house called the Senate and a lower house called the House
of Representatives.
All states except Pennsylvania had a governor or executive.
An executive is a person who runs the government and sees
the laws are carried out.
Thinking Critically: What are the advantages of dividing powers?
Virginia further limited the power of government by including a
Bill of Rights in its constitution. The Bill of Rights protected
the rights of religion and freedom of the press, trial by jury,
limits on searches and arrests. Other states soon followed
Virginia’s examples and created their own Bill of Rights.
The state constitutions also expanded the right to
vote. Now under the constitution you could vote if
you were a white male over the age of 21. In a few
states women and free African Americans could
vote.
The American Revolution did not prompt a radical
redefinition of the right to vote. In 1786, only two of the
original thirteen states (Georgia and South Carolina) expressly
restricted voting privileges to the eligible white population.
The U.S. Constitution, written
in 1787, recognized the
authority of the states to define
the right to vote.
Between 1776 and 1860, about one-third of the states
permitted voting by free African-American adult males.
The New York constitution calledfor the election of a governor and24 senators. It also called for theelection of 70 assemblymen.
New York was occupied by theBritish in the South and couldn’tenact its full authority until afterthe revolution.
Lesson: Reforming the Articles
Standards:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8. 3 & 4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8. 9
Objective: Examine how key issues were resolved during theConstitutional Convention, including state representation inCongress with the Great Compromise and a bicamerallegislature.
Do Now:
• What are some ways the Articles of Confederation
could be improved?
Day 4
In May of 1787, the delegates also known a framers of
the constitution met in Philadelphia to amend the
Articles of Confederation.
The meeting was to be known as the Constitutional
Convention; framers wanted a strong central
government that did not give too much control to the
common people.
Making Inferences: Why would the
delegates of the convention want
to limit the control of government
by common people?
James Madison was theyoungest man at the
Constitutional Convention.
Madison kept a full and clearrecord of the proceedings.
Benjamin Franklin, at age81, was the oldest. The
delegates at the
constitutional conventionwere primarily wealthy land
owners.
Rather than revise, the framers decided to instead
write a brand new constitution for the nation.
Edmund Randolph and
James Madison, both
from Virginia, made a
proposal to the
Convention. The Virginia
Plan called for a strong
national government
with three branches.
Legislative Branch passes the laws.Executive Branch carries out the laws.Judicial Branch decides if the laws are carried out fairly.
The Virginia Plan also called for a
bicameral or two-house legislature.
Seats to each house would be
awarded based on population,
known as proportional
representation.
Accessing Prior Knowledge: How wereseats awarded under the Articles ofConfederation?
Small states objected
strongly to the Virginia Plan.
After two weeks of debate,
William Patterson, of New
Jersey presented the New
Jersey Plan.
Under the New Jersey Plan
called for equal
representation, the
legislature which would be
unicameral or one body.
Each state no matter the
size of the population
would have only one vote in
the legislature.
Making Inferences: Why would smallerstates not find proportionalrepresentation favorable?
A delegate named Roger Sherman, of Connecticut, worked
out a compromise between the large and small states.
Sherman’s Connecticut Compromise called for a legislature
two houses. The Lower House was known, as the House of
Representatives would have representatives based on that
state’s population.
Thinking Critically: How was Sherman’s Compromise a fair way to structure alegislature?
Members of the Upper House
known as the Senate would
have two senators per state
no matter what the population
of the state.
On July 16th the delegates approved the plan. The agreement
to have two legislatures, one with an equal number of votes
for each state, and one by population is known as the Great
Compromise.
A significant compromise reached at the Constitutional
Convention of 1787 was the agreement to establish a
bicameral legislature which address the issue of population
differences among the states.
“The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year bythe People of the several States…Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportionedamong the several States which may be included within this Union, according to theirrespective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of freePersons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians nottaxed, three fifths of all other Persons…
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosenby the Legislature thereof, for six Years…”
Source: Article I of the U.S. Constitution
What is the source of the document?
___________________________________________________________________
According to the document, how is representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate determined?
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Lesson: Debates Over Slavery
Standards:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8. 2, 4, & 8 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8. 1C, 2B, & 5
Objective: Examine the counting of the enslaved African American community for purposes ofcongressional representation and taxation (the Three-Fifths Compromise) .
Identify how people in power have acted to extend the concept of freedom, thepractice of social justice, and the protection of human rights in United States history.
Do Now:
• Explain how the Virginia Plan benefited larger states and how
the New Jersey Plan benefited smaller states.
Day 5
Thinking Critically: How did the tenants of the Great Compromise affect thedebate over slavery during the Constitutional Convention?
Of the 55 delegates, about 25 owned slaves. The delegates
from Southern states wanted to counts slaves as part of their
population. This would give the Southern states additional
representatives in the House of Representatives.
Delegates from the Northern states opposed this, arguing that if
slaves had no rights to vote then the South should not be given
additional representatives.
They agreed that three fifths of the slaves would be counted as part of the
population. In other words, if a state had 5,000 slaves, 3,000 of them would
be counted in the state’s population. The agreement about the issue of
slavery made by the delegates was known as the Three-Fifths
Compromise.
The Three-fifths Compromise established a system formal to count
slaves for population and taxation purposes. The Three-fifths
compromise reduced the fear of loss of representation by Southern
states with large slave populations.
Northerners and Southerners disagreed one another issue
relating to slavery. By 1787, some northern states banned the
slave trade within their borders. Northern delegates wanted
Congress to ban the slave trade in the entire nation.
Southerners warned that if the
slave trade was banned it would
ruin the southern economy.
Southern states would not agree to
a constitution that banned
slavery. Congress compromised,
agreeing that they could not outlaw
slavery for at least twenty years.
Recall: What states abolished slavery directly following the Deceleration ofIndependence?
Making Connections: How would the abolishing of slavery negatively affect thesouthern economy?
Southern states insisted that escaped slaves be returned to
them, otherwise slaves would have a strong incentive to try to
escape to a Northern state where they could be free.
Northern delegates agree to the Fugitive Slave Clause, which
required runaway slaves to be returned their owners upon
demand by the owner.
Not wanting to use the
word "slave," the Fugitive
Slave Clause substituted
"person held to service or
labour" in place of the word
"slave“.
"No Person held to Service or Labour in one State,... , escaping into another, shall ... be dischargedfrom such Service or Labour, but shall be deliveredup on Claim of the Party to whom such Service orLabour may be due.“
Why might the framers want to avoid using theterm slave?
Some of the delegates, such
as Gouverneur Morris of
Pennsylvania, were outraged
that any compromise was
reached. During the
Convention, on August 8, he
gave what came to be called
his famous "Curse of
Heaven“ speech.
"He never would concur in upholding domesticslavery. It was a nefarious institution. It was thecurse of heaven on the States where it prevailed. .. . Upon what principle is it that the slaves shall becomputed in representation? Are they men? Thenmake them Citizens and let them vote. Are theyproperty? Why is no other property included? .
Explain one argument does Morris uses againstthe three-fifths compromise.
In terms of representation in the United States Congress, how did southern states
benefit from the three-fifths compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention of
1787?
____________________________________________________________________
Which state benefited most from the three-fifths compromise reached at the
Constitutional Convention of 1787?
____________________________________________________________________
Exit Ticket:
• Describe the purpose of the Fugitive Slave Clause.
• Explain the compromises made surrounding slavery atthe Constitutional Convention
Lesson: Federalism
Standards:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8. 2 & 8CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8. 1
Objective:Examine how key issues were resolved during the ConstitutionalConvention, including the balance of power between the federal andstate governments (establishment of the system of federalism).
Examine the role of New York State residents Alexander Hamiltonand John Jay as leading advocates for the new Constitution.
Do Now:
• Prepare to present your task from yesterday.
Day 6
On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was ratified. The
delegates one by one signed the Constitution. They had done
something remarkable. In just a few months, they had set up
the framework for a lasting government for our country. At the
end of the Convention, a Republic was set up. A Republic is
a nation in which voters elect representatives to govern
them.
Early American leaders were inspired by the
Iroquois system of government. The
League of Nations was a model for unity.
The Native American nations governed
separately, as states but joined in unity in
their central defense.
Thinking Critically: How did the Iroquois provide an example for therestructuring of government, the founders were looking to make?
Under the new
Constitution, the states
gave up some of their
power to the national
government. The division
of power between the
states and national
government is called
Federalism.
Accessing Prior Knowledge: Under the Articles of Confederation which partyhad the most power?
The United States Government is considered a federal system
because both national and state governments exist within the
nation.
The Constitution spells out the powers of the
Federal Government, an example the Federal
Government can coin money or declare war.
States have the power
to regulate trade
between their borders.
The states decide who
can vote in elections.
The states have the
power to establish
schools and local
governments.
Many of the powers between the government and
states are shared. For example, both governments
can build roads or raise taxes.
The Constitution is the “final law of the land.” In a
dispute between the state and Federal, the Federal
Government has the final authority.
"The powers not delegated to the United States . . . are reserved to the states . . .“
-United States Constitution
What message does this brief quote attempt to convey?
According to Alexander Hamilton and his supporters the
Federal Government may exercise all powers necessary and
proper to meet its responsibilities.
Making Inferences:What do you think was meant by necessary and proper?
Making Connections: Are there any examples of the government exercising extrememeasures to enforce its responsibilities?
Alexander Hamilton was a prominent
Federalist who supported a strong
central government.
The Federalist Papers by James Madison, and New Yorkers,
Alexander Hamilton and John Jay were published in 1787
and 1788. The Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five
newspaper essays to win support for ratification of the
Constitution.
A point made in the federalist
papers was that a system of
checks and balances will
prevent tyranny from a
central executive.
I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and in the extent in which they
are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed constitution, but would
even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers which are not
granted; and on this very account, would afford a colourable pretext to claim more
than were granted. For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do? Why for instance, should it be said, that the liberty of the press shall not
be restrained, when no power is given by which restrictions may be imposed? I will not
contend that such a provision would confer a regulating power; but it is evident that it
would furnish, to men disposed to usurp, a plausible pretence for claiming that power.
- Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist paper number 84
Your sentiments, that our affairs are drawing rapidly to a crisis, accord with my own. .. . We have errors to correct. We have probably had too good an opinion of humannature in forming our confederation . . .
. . . thirteeen sovereign, independent, disunited States are in the habit of ... refusingcompliance with [our national Congress] at their option.
Would to God, that wise measures may be taken in time to avert the consequenceswe have but too much reason to apprehend. . . .
These excerpts are from a letter written by George Washington to John
Jay, dated August 1,1786. In these lines, Washington is agreeing with
Jay's criticism of the Articles of Confederation.
What did Washington mean by saying "we have errors to correct?"
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What do you suppose he meant by saying "we have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation?
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John Jay of New York wrote The Federalist, Number 4, in support of ratification of theConstitution. This is an excerpt from that publication.
But whatever may be our situation, whether firmly united under one national government, orsplit into a number of confederacies, certain it is, that foreign nations will know and view itexactly as it is; and they will act toward us accordingly. If they see that our nationalgovernment is efficient and well administered, our trade prudently regulated, our militiaproperly organized and disciplined, our resources and finances discreetly managed, our creditre-established, our people free, contented, and united, they will be much more disposed tocultivate our friendship than provoke our resentment. If, on the other hand, they find useither destitute of [lacking] an effectual government (each State doing right or wrong, as to itsrulers may seem convenient), or split into three or four independent and probably discordant[quarreling] republics or confederacies, one inclining to Britain, another to France, and a thirdto Spain, and perhaps played off against each other by the three, what a poor, pitiful figurewill America make in their eyes! How liable would she become not only to their contempt butto their outrage, and how soon would dear-bought experience proclaim that when a peopleor family so divide, it never fails to be against themselves.
Source: John Jay, The Federalist, Number 4, November 7, 1787
Based on this excerpt from The Federalist, Number 4, state one argument used by
John Jay to support ratification of the Constitution.
Exit Ticket:
Homework:
• What role did Alexander Hamilton and John Jay play inthe signing of the constitution?
• Unit 3 - Lesson 1 CRQ Set
7.4 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION: The newly independent states facedpolitical and economic struggles under the Articles of Confederation. These challengesresulted in a Constitutional Convention, a debate over ratification, and the eventualadoption of the Bill of Rights.(Standards: 1, 5; Themes: GOV, CIV)
7.4a Throughout the American Revolution, the colonies struggled to address their differingsocial, political, and economic interests and to establish unity. The Articles of Confederationcreated a form of government that loosely united the states, but allowed states to maintaina large degree of sovereignty.
7.4b The lack of a strong central government under the Articles of Confederation presentednumerous challenges. A convention was held to revise the Articles, the result of which wasthe Constitution. The Constitution established a democratic republic with a stronger centralgovernment.• Students will investigate the successes and failures of the Articles of Confederation,
determine why many felt a new plan of government was needed, and explain how theUnited States Constitution attempted to address the weaknesses of the Articles.
• Students will examine the New York State Constitution, its main ideas and provisions, andits influence on the formation of the United States Constitution.
7.4c Advocates for and against a strong central government were divided on issues of States rights, role/limits offederal power, and guarantees of individual freedoms. Compromises were needed between the states in order to ratifythe Constitution.• Students will examine from multiple perspectives arguments regarding the balance of power between the federal
and state governments, the power of government, and the rights of individuals.
• Students will examine how key issues were resolved during the Constitutional Convention, including:
• state representation in Congress (Great Compromise or bicameral legislature)
• the balance of power between the federal and state governments (establishment of the system of federalism)
• the prevention of parts of government becoming too powerful (the establishment of the three branches)
• the counting of the enslaved African American community for purposes of congressional representation andtaxation (the Three-Fifths Compromise)
• Students will examine the role of New York State residents Alexander Hamilton and John Jay as leading advocates forthe new Constitution.
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