Forming a New Government
Learning Module
- Creator(s):
Description: The fourth-grade survey of American History course provides a general overview of our nation's regions from pre-colonization to 1850. Topics explored will include pre-colonization, Colonization, American Revolution, Birth of a New Nation, and Westward Expansion through the year 1850. Students will connect and engage in a variety of ways through collaborative classroom discussions, problem-solving, and cooperation, to develop their understanding of personal responsibility and respect toward others and their environment.
Social Studies Goals:
Standards:
B.4.1- Identify and examine various sources of information that are used for constructing an understanding of the past, such as artifacts, documents, letters, diaries, maps, textbooks, photos, paintings, architecture, oral presentations, graphs, and charts.
B.4.3 - Examine biographies, stories, narratives, and folktales to understand the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people, place them in time and context, and explain their relationship to important historical events.
B.4.5 - Identify the historical background and meaning of important political values such as freedom, democracy, and justice.
B.4.7 - Identify and describe important events and famous people in Wisconsin and United States history.
B.4.9 Describe examples of cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and nations.
The Articles of Confederation stated:
that the state would keep their "freedom and independence." State would be join in "a firm league of friendship," not a strong central government. The plan could not take effect until all 13 states ratified it. To ratify is to approve something. The Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781.
Now that you have a brief introduction to The Articles of Confederation watch this Liberty's Kids video on it:
Last, take a moment to read more a bit deeper into what The Articles of Confederation are and how they helped shaped our new nation.
Social Studies for Kids Website - Articles of Confederation
Activities:
Articles of Confederation "Millionaire" Game
Articles of Confederation Strengths & Weaknesses
Time Zone X: Articles of Confederation
Update:
Explain how The Articles of Confederation helped out the people at the time, or explain how they didn't help out the people at the time and why. What were the strengths and weaknesses of it? Which of the activities best helped you to make this decision and why so?
Timeline: 1-2 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
Additional activity:
Shays' Rebellion:
Shays became a leader in a movement that demanded lower taxes and the closing of courts that punished debtors. A debtor is a person who owes money. In September 1786, Captain Shays led a ragtag "army" of about 700 to close the court at Springfield, Massachusetts. Fewer than a quarter of them were armed with anything more than clubs. To keep Shays' Rebellion going, the farmers needed better weapons. So in January 1787, Shays led an attack on the federal aresnal at Springfield, where rifles and ammunition was stored.
After this introduction to Shays' Rebellion watch this Liberty's Kids video to get some more background information:
Since you've dug deeper into what Shays' Rebellion was about, take a look at this picture:
Update/Comment:
In this picture who are the followers of Shay?
Who are the followers of the law-makers?
How do you think each of those party's feel?
What might be going through their minds at this point?
How could The Articles of Confederation lead to Shay's Rebellion?
Timeline: 1-2 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
Northwest Ordinance of 1787:
Watch this short video on the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 to get more background information on it.
Follow this link to a site on the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Once you're done reading through the information on that page, click on the picture below to take you to the questions to answer.
Update:
Your update this week is the Google Doc you did with your partner, we will be further discussing the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 in class. We'll focus on why the ordinance can be considered a successful action by Congress under the Articles of Confederation.
Timeline: 1-2 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
Additional activity:
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was a meeting of delegates in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that replaced the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution.
Watch this video from Liberty's Kids from the 14:00 mark to learn more about the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Now that you've watched the video, take a moment to read this short article about Constitutional Convention of 1787. Once you're finished reading it, click on the "Show What You Know" section and fill in the blanks.
Update:
Timeline: 1-2 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
Additional activity:
Additional Video for Reference:
Additional reading activity with comprehension questions:
Competing Plans, during the Constitutional Convention they came up with several plans, they were the:
Update:
Compare and contrast the Virginia Plan with the New Jersey Plan.
Why did the Three-Fifths Compromise come to be?
How did Roger Sherman help the Constitutional Convention succeed?
Timeline: 1-2 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
Additional activity:
Constitutional Compromise Slide Show - Includes all the plans.
Our Constitution begins with a Preamble, or introduction.
It then spells out the powers that only our national government will have. It also leaves many other powers strictly to state governments, which are called reserve powers. It also divided the national government into three branches.
Head on over to Brain Pop and watch the video about the Three Branches of Government.
Now that you've had the opportunity to read and listen about the 3 Branches of Government, take the quiz from Brain Pop and test your knowledge.
Update:
Choose one of the following games to help you review, and tell which one you chose, how it helped you to remember, and why you would recommend it to another classmate to help them review.
Timeline: 2-3 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
Additional activity:
Congress for Kids - informational site with quiz
Ben's Guide - Infographic of Three Branches of Government
By 1790, all 13 states had accepted the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. The original Bill of Rights that was enacted in 1791 by the first Congress had 10 amendments to them. They were created to guarantee freedoms by placing specific limits on government. Our current Bill of Rights has a total of 27 amendments added to it.
Amendment 1
The First Amendment protects the rights of every American. It defines the freedoms of religion, speech, and press. Most Americans believe that the First Amendment guarantees their most important rights.
Amendment 2
The Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right to bear arms, or own guns.
Amendment 3
The Third Amendment prevents the government from forcing citizens to shelter soldiers in their homes.
Amendment 4
The Fourth Amendment protects the privacy of American citizens. It prohibits, or prevents, unnecessary or unreasonable searches of a person's property.
Amendment 5
In the Fifth Amendment, all Americans are guaranteed the right to a fair and legal trial. It also protects someone from testifying against him- or herself under oath.
Amendment 6
A right to a speedy trial is guaranteed in the Sixth Amendment.
Amendment 7
The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a trial by jury in civil, or private, legal cases where damages are more than $20. Civil cases solve disputes between citizens.
Amendment 8
Unreasonable bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishment are prohibited in the Eighth Amendment.
Amendment 9
The Ninth Amendment recognizes that Americans have rights that are not listed in the Constitution.
Amendment 10
The Tenth Amendment says that the powers not given to the United States government by the Constitution belong to the states or to the people.
Update:
Pick one of the original 10 amendments and explain why you think Congress at the time felt the need to include it in the Bill of Rights?
What might have been going on around the time some of these amendments were added?
Do you notice any rights that we have today that are not in the original 10? Click here to see the newer additions.
Why do you think these ones weren't added until later?
Timeline: 2-3 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
Additional activity:
History for Kids - Additional article to read about the Bill of Rights
Write About History -
It's now your turn to be part of history, and this time you'll be writing. You will have a choice of these three topics/formats. If you would like to propose another topic/format please let your teacher know for approval by him/her.
Presentation Forms:
Here's some ideas of ways to present your work.
You may also choose to do your work on another media not listed, just inform your teacher what it will be on before starting.
Rubric:
The rubric you will be graded on is here, you will conduct a self-assessment on your work/presentation, and have 2-3 peer reviews, along with a teacher review.
End of Module Survey:
When you are finished with this module please take this survey.
Timeline: 2-3 Sessions
Student Objectives:
Students will:
Standards:
B.4.1- Identify and examine various sources of information that are used for constructing an understanding of the past, such as artifacts, documents, letters, diaries, maps, textbooks, photos, paintings, architecture, oral presentations, graphs, and charts
B.4.3 - Examine biographies, stories, narratives, and folktales to understand the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people, place them in time and context, and explain their relationship to important historical events
B.4.5 - Identify the historical background and meaning of important political values such as freedom, democracy, and justice
B.4.7 - Identify and describe important events and famous people in Wisconsin and United States history.
B.4.9 Describe examples of cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and nations
Image Resources:
*All other pictures used for educational purposes only and not for personal use.
Video Resources:
*All other videos obtained and used for educational purposes only and not for personal use.
Informational Resources:
Boyd, Candy Dawson., and Carol Berkin. Scott Foresman Social Studies: The United States. Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman, 2008. Print.
All other online sites, cited in specific update sections.
*All information is used for educational purposes only and not for personal use.
