11th Grade Framework
11.1 COLONIAL FOUNDATIONS (1607– 1763):
European colonization in North America prompted cultural contact and exchange between diverse peoples; cultural differences and misunderstandings at times led to conflict. A variety of factors contributed to the development of regional differences, including social and racial hierarchies, in colonial America. (Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, GOV, ECO, EXCH)
11.1a Contact between Native American∗ groups and Europeans occurred through cultural exchanges, resistance efforts, and conflict.
· Students will trace European contact with Native Americans, including the Dutch, the English, the French and the Spanish.
· Students will examine the impacts of European colonization on Native Americans, who eventually lost much of their land and experienced a drastic decline in population through diseases and armed conflict.
11.1b A number of factors influenced colonial economic development, social structures, and labor systems, causing variation by region.
· Students will examine the impacts of geographic factors on patterns of settlement and the development of colonial economic systems.
· Students will examine the factors influencing variations in colonial social structures and labor systems.
· Students will analyze slavery as a deeply established component of the colonial economic system and social structure, indentured servitude vs. slavery, the increased concentration of slaves in the South, and the development of slavery as a racial institution.
11.1c Colonial political developments were influenced by British political traditions, Enlightenment ideas, and the colonial experience. Self-governing structures were common, and yet varied across the colonies.
· Students will examine colonial political institutions to determine how they were influenced by Enlightenment ideas, British traditions such as the Magna Carta, and the colonial experience.
· Students will examine colonial democratic principles by studying documents such as the Mayflower Compact and the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649, colonial governmental structures such as New England town meetings and the Virginia House of Burgesses, and the practice of the right of petition in New Netherland.
Aim: Was it worth leaving the Old World to go to the New World?
Ø Discuss push/pull factors of Europeans migrating from the Old World
Ø Compare and contrast the motivations and experiences of different groups.
Ø Define: Puritans, Pilgrims, Push/Pull Factor, Merchants, Indentured Servants, Slaves, Voluntary, Involuntary
ACTIVITY: Make a map of the colonies and label the different geographic features of each region (Atlantic Ocean, Appalachian Mountains, 13 colonies, crops/plantations).
Aim: Did the colonist find what they were looking for in America?
Ø Compare and contrast the different social and political and economic conditions of the colonies
Ø Analyze how geography impacted the colonies
Ø Define:13 colonies, New England Colonies, Middle Colonies, Southern Colonies, Regions, Trading, Agriculture
ACTIVITY: Students visit stations about the social/political/economic condition in the colonies. Write a letter encouraging or discouraging family in Europe from coming to a particular region using push/pull factors such as social, economic, and political opportunities in the new world (religious freedom, job opportunities, and self rule).
11.2 CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS (1763 – 1824):
Growing political and economic tensions led the American colonists to declare their independence from Great Britain. Once independent, the new nation confronted the challenge of creating a stable federal republic. (Standards: 1, 5; Themes: TCC, GOV, CIV, ECO)
11.2a Following the French and Indian War, the British government attempted to gain greater political and economic control over the colonies. Colonists resisted these efforts, leading to increasing tensions between the colonists and the British government.
· Students will examine British efforts to gain greater political and economic control, such as the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, the Townsend Acts, the Tea Act, the Boston Massacre, and the Coercive Acts, and colonial reactions to these efforts.
11.2b Failed attempts to mitigate the conflicts between the British government and the colonists led the colonists to declare independence, which they eventually won through the Revolutionary War, which affected individuals in different ways.
· Students will examine the purpose of and the ideas contained in the Declaration of Independence and consider its long term impacts.
· Students will examine the impacts of the Revolutionary War on workers, African Americans, women, and Native Americans.
11.2c Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation led to a convention whose purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation but instead resulted in the writing of a new Constitution. The ratification debate over the proposed Constitution led the Federalists to agree to add a bill of rights to the Constitution.
· Students will examine the weaknesses and successes of government under the Articles of Confederation.
· Students will explore the development of the Constitution, including the major debates and their resolutions, which included compromises over representation, taxation, and slavery.
· Students will examine the structure, power, and function of the federal government as created by the Constitution, including key constitutional principles such as the division of power between federal and state government, the separation of powers at the federal level, the creation of checks and balances, the sovereignty of the people, and judicial independence.
· Students will examine the key points of debate expressed in the Federalist Papers and the Antifederalist Papers, focusing on the protection of individual rights and the proper size for a republic.
· Students will examine the rights and protections provided by the Bill of Rights and to whom they initially applied.
11.2d Under the new Constitution, the young nation sought to achieve national security and political stability, as the three branches of government established their relationships with each other and the states.
· Students will identify presidential actions and precedents established by George Washington, including those articulated in his Farewell Address.
· Students will examine Hamilton’s economic plan, the debate surrounding the plan, and its impacts on the development of political parties.
· Students will examine the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power established in the presidential election of 1800 and compare it to the presidential election of 2000, focusing on the roles of the Electoral College and Congress in 1800 and the Electoral College and the Supreme Court in 2000.
· Students will examine Supreme Court cases, including Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, and Gibbons v. Ogden, and analyze how these decisions strengthened the powers of the federal government.
Aim: Did the British have the right to tax the colonists?
Ø Discuss the causes of the French Indian War
Ø Explain the causes for taxation
Ø Analyze why this upset the colonists
Ø Define: Mercantilism, Salutary neglect, Proclamation of 1763, taxation, Stamp Act
ACTIVITY: Exit ticket answering the aim. Compose a petition to the king using THREE keywords and other details and facts from the lesson about why the colonists are unhappy with the taxes.
Aim: Who was responsible for the fighting in the colonies?
Ø Describe the colonial response to the taxation
Ø Evaluate whether the British response was appropriate or not
Ø Define Parliament Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, “Taxation without Representation”, Tar and Feather
ACTIVITY: T-chart listing the reasons each group was responsible for the fighting. Choose the side that you feel is justified and create a biased newspaper headline reporting the key events.
Aim: Should the colonists go to war with Britain?
Ø Explain the advantages and disadvantages of going to war.
Ø Evaluate whether or not the colonists were justified in seeking independence.
Ø Define: “Taxation without Representation”, Tar and Feather, First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress
ACTIVITY: Make a military ad campaign recruiting for the loyalists or the patriots using political cartoon symbols we examined today and the key words for this lesson.
Aim: How did the American Colonists defeat the British?
Ø Identify: Battle of Saratoga, Treaty of Paris
Ø Understand the advantages and disadvantages of the British and American colonies and evaluate who had the advantage.
Ø Analyze images idealizing revolutionary activity.
Ø Compare and Contrast the original goals of the revolution to the outcome on the Treaty of Paris.
Ø Evaluate how the American colonies were able to achieve independence.
ACTIVITY: Gallery Walk of timeline, events, people, and maps of the Revolution including frustrations soldiers experienced with revolutionary leaders. Create a postcard from a perspective of a soldier commenting on the leadership you are experiencing, the challenges you have gone through, and how you think you can win this war.
Aim: Did the Declaration of Independence meet the needs of the colonists?
Ø Summarize the parts of the Declaration of Independence.
Ø Identify examples of Enlightenment thinking in the Declaration.
Ø Evaluate whether the Declaration of Independence addresses the grievances the colonists had.
Ø Define: Preamble, Grievances, Enlightenment, natural rights, Declaration of Independence
ACTIVITY: De-code the Declaration of Independence by creating a dialogue between Thomas Jefferson and John Locke about the grievances and final message of the Declaration.
Aim: Did the Articles of Confederation provide the United States with an effective government?
Ø The Articles of Confederation placed most governmental power in the states rather than the central government.
Ø Because of the lack of certain powers, the central government under the Articles of Confederation could not solve many of the problems facing the United States during the Confederation period, but even with greater powers, the central government might not have been able to solve some of these problems.
Ø Performance Objectives: SWBAT
Ø List and explain the powers given to, and the powers denied to, the central government by the Articles of Confederation.
Ø Describe the domestic and foreign problems facing the United States during the Confederation period 1781-1787.
Ø Analyze how the absence of certain powers affected the ability of the central government to solve the problems facing the United States during the Confederation period.
Ø Evaluate whether the Articles of Confederation provided a good framework of government for the United States.
ACTIVITY: Exit Ticket of Aim
Aim: Could the Constitution have been written without compromise?
Ø A democracy can only survive if its citizens are willing to compromise.
Ø The Constitution, which strengthened the powers of the national government, was the product of many compromises.
Ø Performance Objectives: SWBAT
Ø Describe the events that led to the Constitutional Convention.
Ø Explain the major disputes that developed at the Constitutional Convention.
Ø Assess the wisdom of each major compromise in terms of the values of the time and the implications for the future
Ø Identify and explain: Great Compromise, 3/5 Compromise, and the Commerce Compromise
ACTIVITY: Graphic Organizer explaining the compromises and if students think they were effective
Aim: Should the Constitution have been ratified?
Ø Identify and explain the differences between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Ø Discuss the necessity of adding a Bill of Rights
ACTIVITY: dialogue between federalist and anti-federalist on the issue of whether to add the Bill of Rights
Aim: Does our state or federal government have a greater impact on our lives?
Ø Federalism is a compromise between a centralized unitary system of government and a decentralized confederate system. In 1790, this was a unique arrangement that enabled a nation to successfully govern a vast land area.
Ø Federalism creates a delicate balance of power, which exists between local (state) and national governments.
Ø Performance Objectives: SWBAT
Ø Define federalism and explain why it has proved to be a successful arrangement.
Ø Explain how the Constitution provides for delegated (enumerated), concurrent, and reserved powers.
Ø Explain the meaning of the terms “separation of powers” and “federal system of government.”
Ø Analyze how the federal and state governments can use their powers to solve current problems in the United States.
Ø Evaluate whether the state or the federal government has a greater impact on our daily lives
ACTIVITY: Federalism scenarios and explain if federalism is good or bad
Aim: Is a system of checks and balances needed to protect the freedom of the American people?
Ø The system of checks and balances and separation of powers was designed to prevent despotism and tyranny.
Ø Frequent communication and cooperation among the branches of government afford a smooth running government.
Ø Performance Objectives: SWBAT
Ø List and describe the functions of the three branches of the federal government.
Ø Explain how each branch of the federal government can check the power of the other two.
Ø Explain the advantages and disadvantages of a system of checks and balances in our democracy and analyze how this system affects decision-making.
Ø Assess the degree to which a system of checks and balances is essential to our democracy and the protection of citizens’ freedom.
ACTIVITY: Checks and balances scenarios and explain if checks and balances is good or bad.
Aim: Should the Constitution be considered a living document?
Ø The flexibility and resultant longevity of the Constitution were made possible by formal amendments as well as by custom, legislation, and judicial interpretation.
Ø The early Constitution provided for a limited democracy. With the passage of statutes and amendments (and judicial findings), the American form of government has become more democratic.
Ø Performance Objectives: SWBAT
Ø Explain how amendments to the Constitution are proposed and ratified.
Ø Explain how the “written constitution” has been modified by the elastic clause, judicial interpretation and legislation.
Ø Understand the Amendment Process
Ø Explain and analyze how changing political, economic, and social conditions in the United States have affected changes in the “written and unwritten Constitution.”
Ø Assess the validity of the statement: “The Constitution is a living document.”
ACTIVITY: Homework: based on list of scenarios where the constitution has adapted to changing times, summarize an example of how the Constitution adapts to changing times
Aim: Is the electoral college fair and democratic?
Ø Our founding fathers created an Electoral College system, as they did not believe the “common man” had the intellect necessary to elect the President of our country.
Ø As a result of the changing times, and especially the election of 2000, a large number of people are questioning if the Electoral College is prohibiting the success of democracy.