The United States To 1877
Unit 3: Confederation to Constitution
Second Grading Period – Weeks 1-3 CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Big Idea / Unit RationaleEnduring Understandings
- When building something new and different, people often learn from their mistakes.
- Successful compromise can result in strong, lasting agreements.
- Dividing power helps give everyone a voice and prevent one person or group from taking over.
Overarching Question
- Should people be trusted to govern themselves? / The framework for our current government is provided by the United States Constitution. Due to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the Founding Father’s built a foundation for a democratic government that has endured changes and challenges.
Lessons for this Unit
□ Lesson 1: The Confederation Era
□ Lesson 2: Creating the Constitution-1787
□ Lesson 3: Ratifying the Constitution
TEKS / TEKS Specificity - Intended Outcome
Concepts / TEKS 8.1 History
A. identify the major eras in U.S. history through 1877 and describe their defining characteristics
B. apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods
C. explain the significance of 1787
TEKS 8.4 History
A. explain how the Northwest Ordinance established principles and procedures for orderly expansion of the United States
D. analyze the issues of the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, including major compromises and arguments for and against ratification
TEKS 8.11 Geography
A. locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries (Philadelphia, PA)
TEKS 8.16 Government
B. Summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
TEKS 8.17 Government
A. Summarize the purposes for and processes of changing the U.S. Constitution.
TEKS 8.18 Government
A. analyze the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, including those of Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and George Mason.
TEKS 8.21 Citizenship
B. evaluate the contributions of the Founding Fathers as models of civic virtue
TEKS 8.21 Citizenship
A. analyze the leadership qualities of elected and appointed leaders of the United States such as George Washington.
TEKS 8.22 Citizenship
A. identify different points of view of political parties and interest groups (Federalists and Anti-Federalists) on important historical and contemporary issues
C.summarize a historical event in which compromise resulted in a peaceful resolution / I can
· explain how America’s first constitution had some strengths but was too weak to meet the needs of the new nation (8.4A,8.16B)
· explain why the year 1787 is important to the history of the U.S. (8.1A,)
· describe the defining characteristics of the Confederation and Constitution era and its importance in U. S. history (8.1 B,C)
· locate on a map the city and state where the Constitutional Convention took place. ( 8.11A)
· explain how the founding fathers were able to compromise on major issues during the Constitutional Convention in order to agree on the Constitution. (8.4D, 8.22 A, C)
· compare and contrast the viewpoints on the new Constitution and explain why some Americans wanted to approve the Constitution and some did not, including Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, and James Madison. (8.4D, 8.18A, 8.22A)
· analyze and evaluate the leadership qualities of the Founding Fathers as models of civic virtue (8.21A,B)
Skills / TEKS 8.30 Social studies skills
B. analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions.
C. organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps / · use social studies skills and terminology to analyze information by various methods, and interpret/organize information gathered from different types of resources. (8.30 B/C, 8.31 A/B/C)
· communicate historical information and research to others in various forms. (8.30B/D)
Evidence of Learning
ð Given a timeline, students will demonstrate their understanding by correctly sequencing events during the confederation period leading to the Constitutional Convention with 80% accuracy.
ð Given the date 1787, students will be able to relate the dates significance in writing, verbally, or in TAKS test format with 80% accuracy.
ð Given compare and contrast graphic organizer, students will be able to explain the major compromises during the Constitutional Convention and compare the Articles of Confederation with the 1787 Constitution with 80% accuracy.
ð Given a document based question, students will analyze primary and secondary sources to evaluate the effects of the writing of the Constitution on the United States with 80% accuracy.
ð Given an era map graphic organizer, students will correctly identify and explain the characteristics and significance of the constitution period with 80% accuracy.
ð At the end of the unit, students will be able to answer the essential questions with 80% accuracy.
Unit 3: Lesson 1: The Confederation Era (3-5 days) CURRICULUM GUIDE
· How do you form a government?
· How was the Articles of Confederation weak? / · Shay’s Rebellion (5th grade)
· Articles of Confederation (5th grade)
· Interpreting and analyzing primary sources and visuals (2-7th grade)
The Teaching Plan
Instructional Model & Teacher Directions
The teacher will… / So students can…
Use History Alive! Lesson 8, resources from the Social Studies website, and the Social Studies framework to conduct this lesson and daily classroom instruction…
Hook
· Divide the students into groups of 5 or 6. Distribute envelope containing individual state money and pictures of products to be sold.
· Project transparency A1 on the overhead. Instruct each group that they will be representing one of the four states on the poster board. Inform students they are to set prices for the products they will be selling to the other states.
· Secretly tell Massachusetts to sell each part of the ship separately; sails, rudder, wood, etc. The price of the ship will increase greatly.
· Secretly tell Georgia that Massachusetts money is not worth as much as their money.
· Secretly tell New York to create silly taxes for their states. (Toll tax, walking into the state tax, walking out of the state tax, fresh air tax, ect.)
· Go to Virginia and tell them nothing.
· Instruct two groups to walk over and negotiate with other two groups to purchase products for their states. Wait about 10 minutes and ask them to sit down.
· Instruct the other two groups to go to the other two groups to negotiate and make transactions to purchase products for their states. As they start negotiating and trading with each other, students realize something is wrong. Students may begin to complain and the teacher can not respond to the complaints. The teacher symbolizes the Articles of Confederation, which had no executive branch with powers to intervene.
· Debrief the activity with the students asking questions such as, “What happened during the activity?” “How did you feel during the activity?” What corrections need to be put in place to correct any errors during the activity?” “What could these problems result in?” / Divide into groups and elect a treasurer in the group. Each group receives envelope with money and products.
Each group begins to set prices for their products.
Two groups begin to negotiate with the other two groups.
Other two groups begin negotiations and transactions with the other groups.
Respond by writing reflections in the interactive notebook and pair/share responses.
Independent Practice
· Explain that in this History Alive! Based lesson, students, in pairs or individually, will examine eight placards on the weaknesses of the provisions of the Articles of Confederation. The students will determine why each provision was adopted and why each led to a weakness of the confederation government.
· Model one placard and how to record the information on the graphic organizer.
· After pairs have completed matrix, hold a wrap-up session to ensure each group understands features of the Articles of Confederation. / Record the analysis of the placard in a graphic organizer that lists each provision, why it was adopted and what problems it may have contributed to the government.
Using the interactive notebook, students can summarize the weaknesses found in the Articles of Confederation and make predictions on what may occur next during this time in history.
Processing Activity
· Compare the weaknesses found in the Articles of Confederation with the rules of playing a basketball game. For example, in the Articles of Confederation there was no executive branch of government. This is like a basketball game because if there is no referee then there is no enforcement of the rules of the game.
· Instruct students to choose three of the features of the Articles of Confederation and create three mini cartoons illustrating each feature, using the analogy of the basketball game scenario. / Draw and label detail in each cartoon, adding captions, thought bubbles, and using at least three colors. (example: referees=chief executive, players=states, possible thought bubble; states can say, “I wish there were a ref. to get this guy off me.”)
Vocabulary:
· Articles of Confederation
· Confederation Period
· Treaty of Paris of 1783
· Land Ordinance of 1785
· Northwest Ordinance of 1787
· legislative branch
· confederation
· article
· Shay’s Rebellion / Resources
Textbook – The American Republic to 1877
Chap. 7 – Sec. 1
Print Resources
History Alive Sec. 8.1-8.3
Adventure Tales of America Sec. 11
Media Resources
PowerMediaPlus
Video: The History Channel
Ignite! Learning
Topic: Birth of the Constitution, “Uprising Among the Poor” (Shays [cartoon], Problems after the War [song])
Internet Resources
Library of Congress
Evidence of Learning
Differentiation / Interims/TAKS/Benchmarks / College-Readiness
Anticipated Skills for SAT/ACT/College Board
Sequencing Strategy: Using Adventure Tales of America resources students draw, explain, and sequence the problems caused under the Articles of Confederation.
Teacher can use following resources to review or re-teach content:
Ignite! Learning
Topic: Birth of the Constitution, “Uprising Among the Poor” (Shays [cartoon], Problems after the War [song]) / Under the terms of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, new states admitted to the Union-
A could not take part in presidential elections
B were considered equal to existing states *
C were required to defend Native American lands
D were required to allow slavery
TAKS 2004 8th grade / Using primary source documents the students will investigate the weaknesses in the Articles of Cofederation.
http://www.primarysourcelearning.org/teaching_materials/results.php?title=confused+confederation&ty=2
Unit 3: Lesson 2: Creating the Constitution (3-5 days) CURRICULUM GUIDE
· How is the ability to compromise an essential action?
· Should people be trusted to govern themselves?
· What is the significance of the year 1787 to the United States? / · The Constitutional Convention (5th grade)
· Compromises of the Convention (5th grade)
· Interpreting and analyzing primary sources and visuals (2-7th grade)
· Viewpoints of the Constitution (5th grade)
The Teaching Plan
Instructional Model & Teacher Directions
The teacher will… / So students can…
Use History Alive! Lesson 8 in Lesson Guide, resources from the Social Studies website, and the Social Studies framework to conduct this lesson and daily classroom instruction…
Hook
· Divide the class into 13 mixed ability groups. Call attention to the radio and tell students that they will get to listen to music in class today. Tell the class that each group will have one vote in deciding how to program the radio. Explain that the station and volume must be acceptable to 9 of the groups.
· Circulate around the room and “rig” the activity. Tell groups that they have two minutes to discuss how the radio should be programmed. While groups are talking, circulate through the classroom and pretend to monitor their discussions. Quietly tell 5 groups that they will earn extra credit if they do not vote for any station nominated by another group. Also tell them not to reveal that you encouraged them to do so.
· Debrief the activity by asking the following questions: How did you feel as you tried to reach an agreement on programming the radio? Why couldn’t the class reach an agreement? What would have happened if the decision had been based on majority rule? What are the weaknesses of this type of decision making process? What are the benefits? Why might a government institute this type of system? What do you think might happen in a government with this type of system?
· Have students read section 8.1 and 8.2 in History Alive! and draw a T-Chart to compare the classroom experience and the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation. / Divide into 13 mixed groups and begin to discuss how to program the radio.
Two groups begin to negotiate with the other two groups.
Groups vote on how to program the radio several times until the frustration and anger begin to become apparent.
Respond by writing reflections in the interactive notebook and pair/share responses.
Draw and complete a T-Chart graphic organizer comparing the experiences of the classroom with the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.
Guided Practice
Introduce and distribute Reading Notes 8 from pages 46-49 of Interactive Student Notebook and instruct students to annotate important information from each reading in their graphic notes. / Record and summarize major facts and ideas based on the assigned reading.
Experiential Exercise
· Instruct students that they will prepare to reenact the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Arrange the classroom to create a version of the Assembly Room in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The activity will have three phases 1) Opening the Convention 2) Debating Issues at the Convention 3) Signing the Constitution.
· Detailed instruction are found in History Alive! Lesson Guide: Lesson 8.
· Assign students a role card for a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Direct students to sit in their designated desks and read their role card.
· Open the Convention and debate the three essential issues of representation, slavery, and choosing an executive
· After debating the Constitution, announce that it is the final day of the convention and it is time to sign the document. Tell students to review the information on their role card to discover if their delegate signed the Constitution. Explain that if their delegate did not sign, they must be prepared to share their reasoning.