Race to Ratify
Constitute
The Constitution
Crash Course
We the People
Federalist 51
A Song or Poem
A Movie Trailer
A Constitution
Instructions: Choose one activity from each column. The activity you choose from the 3rd column should demonstrate what you have learned about the Constitution from the first 2 columns.
Explore
Are we the only nation with a Constitution? Be a world constitutions traveler with Constitute. This website allows you to compare the constitution of another nation to our own. What do you see that is the same? What is different? Click on the image to start your adventure!
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Play
Ratifying a new constitution was a difficult process. Play this game to understand the perspectives, ideas, and key arguments that defined the debate and shape our nation’s system of federalism. Click on the image to join the debate!
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Research
Where did the U.S. Constitution come from? What does it say? Why do we need it? Explore the Judicial Learning Center’s Student Center to learn the answers to these questions and more. After completing your research, be sure to test your knowledge with the Student Challenge. Click on the image if you’re ready to start the challenge!
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Watch
Let John tell you all about how the Constitutional Convention came together, some of the compromises that had to be made to pass the thing, and why it’s very lucky that the framers installed a somewhat reasonable process for making changes. Click below to take a Crash Course on the Constitution.
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Listen
Through a long hot summer in 1787, 55 men gathered in Philadelphia, PA to craft a new government. What they did that summer has lasted over 230 years. Listen to the story of that summer and learn about how the Constitution came into being. Click on the image to access the podcast.
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Read
Not everyone was convinced that the Constitution was a great idea. Three men stepped forward to advocate for ratification, explaining the structure of the document and the reasoning behind it. Click on the image to read James Madison’s thoughts on preventing tyranny and protecting liberty.
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Compose
The shape of our government is the result of months of intense debates, extensive negotiations, and even some unsavory compromises.
Now that you’ve learned about these debates, it’s your job to compose a tribute to their efforts. Your tribute can be a song/rap or a poem.
You must identify two issues on the table, describe the arguments on both sides, and include the resolution. Make sure that you include references to your source material.
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Produce
What do you think actually happened in the Pennsylvania State House during that hot summer of 1787?
Take us back in time with a movie that describes the process of crafting the constitution… but you are only offering us a trailer.
Your movie trailer should be 2 minutes long, introduce us to at least two main characters and capture the tension between them that will drive the plot of your movie. Remember that a trailer is made to leave your audience wanting more!
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Write
Could you do any better? The Framers were trying to balance many competing priorities. They had to look for ways to include the perspectives of a geographically diverse group.
You’ve explored other constitutions and become familiar with the debates surrounding our constitution. Consider the voices that are missing from our Constitution.
Imagine that you are responsible for setting up a government for a new nation. Write a constitution that you believe would be fair. See how many of your classmates you can get to sign on to your ideas.
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