Lesson 1: Constitutionalism: The Legal Essence of the United States

Activity 1.1: Introduction to the Constitution

Here in the Assembly Room at Independence Hall in Philadelphia both the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the U.S. States Constitution (1787) were written. In the months following the Declaration of Independence the several sovereign states created a makeshift government under the Articles of Confederation (1777) that was finally ratified in 1781 but existed only until 1786 when its weaknesses prompted the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

The revolutionary circumstances that led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776 also led to the creation of a sort of confederated national government of the 13 states under a document called The Articles of Confederation. Created and ratified under wartime conditions during the American Revolution, this document had its host of problems. The manifestation of these problems during and immediately following the successful end of the revolution prompted Americans of the several states to demand a revision of the Articles of Confederation. However, there is a bit more to the story than just the creation of a new chartering document for the American Republic. In this lesson you will encounter the people, ideas, and events that influenced the framing and ratification of the Constitution.

Benchmark 9.1.2.3.1:

Analyze how constitutionalism preserves fundamental societal values, protects individual freedoms and rights, promotes the general welfare, and responds to changing circumstances and beliefs by defining and limiting the powers of government.

Learning Target:

I can...describe the people, ideas, and events that influenced the framing and ratification of the Constitution.

Essential Question:

What were the main concerns about the government that the framers addressed in the Constitution?

To complete Activity 1.1 please follow the steps below:

STEP 1

Think about how difficult it is to get a large groups of people to agree on anything. Write down three reasons that you believe it is difficult to get large groups of people to agree.While you watch the video, see if any of the reasons that you listed actually occurred during the period in which the Constitution was drafted.

STEP 2

View a brief video overview of the framing of the Constitution narrated by best-selling author John Green. While viewing the video be sure to take notes either in your history notebook or google docs. To view the video, click the following link: The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism.

The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism

STEP 3

Answer the following questions in the ADD TEXT SUBMISSION BOX
After you finish viewing the video answer the critical thinking questions below. Please submit your responses to each question using the text submission box located at the bottom of this moodle page. Please answer with proper response construction and make sure to include your name properly on the assignment. Name, Course, Grade, Date.

1. What were the Articles of Confederation?
2. What were some reasons that the Articles of Confederation did not work?
3. Why were the Articles intentionally weak when it came to creating a central government?
4. What were a few things the Articles actually accomplished?
5. Describe the event that actually prodded Americans to actually try to revise the Articles.
6. In what ways were the delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention unique for their time?
7. What types of tyranny--the unrestrained exercise of power--did the framers of the constitution wish to prevent?
8. When it came to representation of the people, what did the Great Compromise accomplish?
9. What was the 3/5’s Compromise?
10. What are the two safeguards created to prevent tyranny?
11. How do checks and balances work?
12. How does narrator John Greene describe federalism?
13. Regardless of its controversial elements, why is the U.S. Constitution still an impressive document?
14. Why were the Federalist Papers written?
15. Who were the anti-Federalists and what did they believe?
16. Respond to these questions after viewing the video:

a.) If the concept of constitutionalism basically means that the government must obey the law, then how did the
framers limit the power of the government with the U.S. Constitution?

b.) What were the main concerns about the government that the framers addressed in the Constitution?

STEP 4

Please submit your responses to each question.