Writing The US Constitution

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Writing The US Constitution

• By
• John Callahan

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Unit/Grade level/Lesson

• Creating a Republic
• 8th Grade
• The Constitutional Convention

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Objective

• Students will learn the key people, terms and
  issues associated with the Constitutional
  Convention.

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Rationale

• As per ODE Social Studies standards, all 8th
  grade American History teachers must explain the
  political concepts expressed in the Constitution.

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Articles of Confederation

• Created a weak central government unable to hold
  the states together.

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Shays Rebellion

• Showed the American people that the Articles of
  Confederation did not work.

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ConstitutionalConvention

• Held at Independence Hall in Philadelphia,
  Pennsylvania.

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Convention Opens

• May 25, 1787 the Constitutional Convention opened
  with the intention of revising the Articles of
  Confederation. Soon after the convention began it
  was decided that a whole new Constitution would
  be needed for the nation.

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The Virginia Plan

• Called for a strong national government.
• 3 Branches Checks and Balances Separation of
  Powers
• Legislative - to make laws
• Executive - to carry out laws
• Judicial - to interpret laws

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Virginia Plan

• Bicameral Legislature
• Representation in both Houses to be based on
  population.

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New Jersey Plan

• Like the Virginia Plan called for three branches
  of government.
• Unicameral legislature with one representative
  per state regardless of population.

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The Great Compromise

• Roger Sherman of Connecticut
• Bicameral Legislature
• Upper House Two Reps each state
• Lower House reps based pop.

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Three-Fifths Compromise

• Southern states Count Slaves for representation
  but not taxation.
• North Count Slaves for taxes but not
  representation.

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Signing

• I doubt whether any other Convention may be
  able to make a better Constitution I cannot help
  expressing a wish that every member of the
  Convention who may still have objection to it
  doubt a little of his own infallibility and put
  his name to this instrument. -B.F.

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State Conventions

• Once nine of the thirteen states endorsed it, the
  Constitution would go into effect.
• Before that occurred, the Constitution was
  discussed and debated in all of the states.

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Review Questions

• What are the three branches of the national
  government and What do they do?

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Vocabulary

• Unicameral
• Bicameral
• Compromise

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Review

• What were the disagreements over slavery?
• How were they resolved?

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Internet

• http//memory.loc.gov/ammem/bdsds/bdsdhome.html
• Go to the above website and find three facts
  about the Constitutional Convention not covered
  in class.

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Constructing Our Own Constitution

• In groups of two, you will decide on two separate
  issues that need to be included in the
  Constitution of Mr. Callahans Classroom.
• Next class, we will propose and debate the
  issues merit.