Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Fifth Grade Social Studies: Integrated Early American History
Unit 7: A New Nation
Big Picture Graphic
Overarching Question:
Why is the federal government organized to give and to limit power?
Previous Unit:
This Unit:
The American Revolution
Next Unit:
A New Nation
Grade 6 Social Studies
Questions To Focus Assessment and Instruction:
1. How effectively did the Framers of the Constitution resolve the problems the nation
encountered under the Articles of Confederation?
2. What role did compromise play in constructing the Constitution?
3. How did the Framers address the issues of governmental power and individual rights?
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 1 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Graphic Organizer
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 2 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Middle School Foundations (see Grade 8, F1.3)
Describe the consequences of the American Revolution by analyzing the
• birth of an independent republican government
• creation of Articles of Confederation
• changing views on freedom and equality
• and concerns over distribution of power within governments, between government and the governed, and among
people.
Unit Abstract:
In this unit students explore the historical circumstances leading to the adoption of the United
States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Beginning with a review of the colonists’ ideas about
government and their experiences with Great Britain, students hypothesize about what kind of
government the colonists would create. In doing so, they consider natural rights philosophy, state
power, and regional differences. Students then learn about the Articles of Confederation with a
focus on the distribution of power between national and state governments. After exploring the
passage of the Northwest Ordinance, students examine some of the problems the country faced
under the Articles, including Shays’ Rebellion. In considering possible changes to the Articles,
students explore the Constitutional Convention and the Framers’ decision to construct a new
constitution. Using primary and secondary sources, students examine how the Framers sought to
resolve differences among the states through a series of compromises. As students examine the
Constitution, they are introduced to the concept of federalism and analyze how it limits the power
of government. They review the reasons why the Framers wanted to build a strong national
government, yet limit the power of that government and compare the positions of the Federalists
and Anti-Federalists in the debates over ratification. Students describe the concern that some
people had about individual rights and why the inclusion of a Bill of Rights was necessary.
Particular attention is paid to the rights found in the first four amendments as they have their roots
in the revolutionary experience. The unit concludes with students composing a persuasive essay
on a public issue related to the Constitution.
Focus Questions
1. How effectively did the Framers of the Constitution resolve the problems the nation
encountered under the Articles of Confederation?
2. What role did compromise play in constructing the Constitution?
3. How did the Framers address the issues of limited government and individual rights?
Content Expectations
5 – U3.3.1: Describe the powers of the national government and state governments under the
Articles of Confederation.
5 – U3.3.2:
Give examples of problems the country faced under the Articles of Confederation
(e.g., lack of national army, competing currencies, reliance on state governments for
money).
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 3 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
5 – U3.3.3:
Explain why the Constitutional Convention was convened and why the Constitution
was written.
5 – U3.3.4:
Describe the disagreements over representation and slavery at the Constitutional
Convention and how the Framers addressed them in the Constitution (Great
Compromise, Three-Fifths Compromise).1
5 – U3.3.5: Give reasons why the Framers wanted to limit the power of government (e.g., fear of
a strong executive, representative government, importance of individual rights).
5 – U3.3.6:
Describe the principle of federalism and how it is expressed through the sharing and
distribution of power as stated in the Constitution (e.g., enumerated and reserved
powers).
5 – U3.3.7:
Describe the concern that some people had about individual rights and why the
inclusion of a Bill of Rights was needed for ratification.
5 – U3.3.8:
Describe the rights found in the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Amendments to the
United States Constitution.
5 – P3.1.1:
Identify contemporary public issues related to the United States Constitution and their
related factual, definitional, and ethical questions.
5 – P3.1.2:
Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a contemporary
public issue related to the United States Constitution and evaluate alternative
resolutions.
5 – P3.1.3:
Give examples of how conflicts over core democratic values lead people to differ on
contemporary constitutional issues in the United States.
5 – P3.3.1:
Compose a short essay expressing a position on a contemporary public policy issue
related to the Constitution and justify the position with a reasoned argument.
Key Concepts
amendment
Articles of Confederation
Bill of Rights
compromise
consent of the governed
Constitutional Convention
federalism
Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Framers
limited government
public issue
U.S. Constitution
1
This expectation has been revised for clarity.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 4 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Duration
4 weeks
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 1: The Articles of Confederation
Lesson 2: The Constitutional Convention
Lesson 3: A Convention of Compromises
Lesson 4: Federalism and the Constitution
Lesson 5: Ratification and the Conflict over a Bill of Rights
Lesson 6: The Bill of Rights
Lesson 7: Exploring a Public Issue Relating to the U.S. Constitution
Lesson 8: Taking a Position on a Public Issue Relating to the U.S. Constitution
Assessment
Selected Response Items
Constructed Response Items
Extended Response Items
Performance Assessments
Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector
Student Resource
Any class set of textbooks for fifth grade Social Studies, such as:
Berson, Michael J. Horizons: United States History: Beginnings. Orlando: Harcourt School
Publishers, 2005.
American History: The Birth of A Nation: The Living Constitution. United Streaming. 27 June 2008
<http://www.unitedstreaming.com/search/assetDetail.cfm?guidAssetID=B77EAEF0-4D594A58-B06F-03E2235B29A4&tabStart=videoSegments>.
The Articles of Confederation. Primary Documents in American History. Library of Congress. 27
June 2008 <http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/articles.html>.
The Articles of Confederation. Liberty Online. 27 June 2008
<http://libertyonline.hypermall.com/ArtConfed.html>.
Bill of Rights. 27 June 2008 <http://www.billofrights.org/>.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 5 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Branches of Government. Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. 27 June 2008
<http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/government/branches.html>.
Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline, 1787-1790. National Constitution Center. 27
June 2008 <http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/html/cw01.html>.
Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline, 1791-1824. National Constitution Center. 27
June 2008 <http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/html/cw03.html>.
Charters of Freedom. National Records and Archives Administration. 27 June 2008
<http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/charters.html>.
Chin, Jonathan and Alan Stern. Federalists and AntiFederalists. A Roadmap to the Constitution.
1997. 27 June 2008 <http://library.thinkquest.org/11572/creation/framing/feds.html>.
Constitution of the United States: A History. The National Archives and Records Administration. 27
June 2008 <http://www.archives.gov/national-archivesexperience/charters/constitution_history.html>.
The Constitution and Slavery: The Ratification Debate on the U.S. Constitution. Constitutional
Rights Foundation. 27 June 2008 <http://www.crf-usa.org/lessons/slavery_const.htm>.
The Constitutional Convention. Teaching American History.org. 27 June 2008
<http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/>.
Explore the Constitution. National Constitution Center. 27 June 2008
<http://www.constitutioncenter.org/explore/ForKids/index.shtml>.
Facts About the Constitution. Whitehouse Kids. 27 June 2008
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/constitution/facts.html>.
Fritz, Jean. Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution. NY: G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1987.
Goldberg, Robert M. and Richard M. Haynes. Unlocking the Constitution and the Declaration of
Independence. Bellevue, WA: Globe Book Company, Inc. 1994.
Hakim, Joy. Making Thirteen Colonies: 1789-1850. New York: Oxford, 1999.
The History Place – A New Nation: 1784 to 1790. The History Place. 27 June 2008
<http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/rev-nation.htm>.
Independence: The Articles of Confederation. Congress for Kids. 27 June 2008
<http://www.congressforkids.net/Independence_articles.htm>.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 6 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
A Little Rebellion Now and Then is a Good Thing. Early America.com. 27 June 2008
<http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer/letter.html>.
The Making of the Constitution. Social Studies for Kids. 27 June 2008
<http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/makingoftheconstitution3.htm>.
The Northwest Ordinance. Early America.com. 27 June 2008
<http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/ordinance/>.
Quigley, Charles N. and Ken Rodriguez. We the People. Calabasas, CA: Center for Civic
Education. 2003. 40-65, 70-74, 87-121, 133-150.
Shays’ Rebellion and the Constitution. Calliope. 27 June 2008
<http://www.calliope.org/shays/shays2.html>.
The United States Constitution. Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School. 27 June 2008
Teacher Resource
The Anti-Federalist Papers. Constitution Society. 27 June 2008
<http://www.constitution.org/afp/afp.htm>.
The Bill of Rights. National Archives and Records Administration. 27 June 2008
<http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=13>.
Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline. National Constitution Center. 27 June 2008
<http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/>.
The Constitutional Convention: What the Founding Fathers Said. EDSITEment. National
Endowment for the Humanities. 27 June 2008
<http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=402>.
Debate on Ratification. SCORE. 27 June 2008 <http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/ratification/>.
The Federalist Papers. Founding Fathers Info. 27 June 2008
<http://www.foundingfathers.info/federalistpapers/>.
The Federalist Papers. Library of Congress. 27 June 2008
<http://icreport.loc.gov/home/histdox/fedpapers.html>.
The Federalist Papers. From Revolution to Reconstruction. 27 June 2008
<http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/D/1776-1800/federalist/fedxx.htm>.
Independence Hall. Ben’s Guide to Government. 27 June 2008 <http://bensguide.gpo.gov/35/symbols/print/independence_hall.html>.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 7 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
“James Madison Explains the Constitution to Thomas Jefferson.” The James Madison Center.
James Madison University. 27 June 2008
<http://www.jmu.edu/madison/center/main_pages/madison_archives/constit_confed/federali
st/ratification/madison.htm>.
Lloyd, Gordon. “Introduction to the Constitutional Convention.” Teaching American History.org. 27
June 2008 <http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/intro.html>.
Teaching with Documents: The Ratification of the Constitution. National Archives and Records
Administration. 27 June 2008 <http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitutionday/ratification.html>.
Resources for Further Professional Knowledge
American History Websites. 27 June 2008
<http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/history/hista.html>.
Digital History. 27 June 2008 <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/>.
Foner, Eric. The Story of American Freedom. New York: WW Norton & Co., Inc., 1998.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. 27 June 2008 <http://www.gilderlehrman.org/>.
Hakim, Joy. Freedom, A History of US. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
History Cooperative. 27 June 2008 <http://www.historycooperative.org/>.
The History Place. 27 June 2008 <http://www.historyplace.com/>.
A Hypertext on American History. 27 June 2008 <http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/usa.htm>.
Kruman, Marc W. Between Authority and Liberty : State Constitution Making in Revolutionary
America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1997.
Making of America. 27 June 2008 <http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moagrp/>.
National Council for History Education. 27 June 2008 <http://www.nche.net/>.
National History Education Clearinghouse. 27 June 2008 <http://teachinghistory.org/>.
National History Standards: Era I. 27 June 2008 <http://nchs.ucla.edu/standards/era1-5-12.html>.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 8 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Instructional Organization
Lesson 1: The Articles of Confederation
Content Expectations:
5 – U3.3.1: Describe the powers of the national government and state governments under the
Articles of Confederation.
5 – U3.3.2:
Give examples of problems the country faced under the Articles of Confederation
(e.g., lack of national army, competing currencies, reliance on state governments for
money).
Key Concepts: Articles of Confederation, limited government
Lesson 2: The Constitutional Convention
Content Expectations:
5 – U3.3.2: Give examples of problems the country faced under the Articles of Confederation
(e.g., lack of national army, competing currencies, reliance on state governments for
money).
5 – U3.3.3:
Explain why the Constitutional Convention was convened and why the Constitution
was written.
Key Concepts: Articles of Confederation, consent of the governed, Constitutional Convention,
Framers, limited government
Lesson 3: A Convention of Compromises
Content Expectations:
5 – U3.3.3: Explain why the Constitutional Convention was convened and why the Constitution
was written.
5 – U3.3.4:
Describe the issues over representation and slavery the Framers faced at the
Constitutional Convention and how they were addressed in the Constitution (Great
Compromise, Three-Fifths Compromise).
5 – U3.3.5: Give reasons why the Framers wanted to limit the power of government (e.g., fear of
a strong executive, representative government, importance of individual rights).
Key Concepts: compromise, consent of the governed, Constitutional Convention, Framers,
limited government, U.S. Constitution
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 9 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Lesson 4: Federalism and the Constitution
Content Expectations:
5 – U3.3.5: Give reasons why the Framers wanted to limit the power of government (e.g., fear of
a strong executive, representative government, importance of individual rights).
5 – U3.3.6:
Describe the principle of federalism and how it is expressed through the sharing and
distribution of power as stated in the Constitution (e.g., enumerated and reserved
powers).
Key Concepts: compromise, consent of the governed, Constitutional Convention, federalism,
Framers, limited government, U.S. Constitution
Lesson 5: Ratification and the Conflict over a Bill of Rights
Content Expectations:
5 – U3.3.7: Describe the concern that some people had about individual rights and why the
inclusion of a Bill of Rights was needed for ratification.
Key Concepts: amendment, Bill of Rights, compromise, Federalists and Anti-Federalists, limited
government, U.S. Constitution
Lesson 6: The Bill of Rights
Content Expectations:
5 – U3.3.7: Describe the concern that some people had about individual rights and why the
inclusion of a Bill of Rights was needed for ratification.
5 – U3.3.8:
Describe the rights found in the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Amendments to the
United States Constitution.
Key Concepts: amendment, Bill of Rights, compromise, limited government, U.S. Constitution
Lesson 7:
Exploring a Public Issue Relating to the U.S. Constitution
Content Expectations:
5 – P3.1.1: Identify contemporary public issues related to the United States Constitution and their
related factual, definitional, and ethical questions.
5 – P3.1.2:
Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a contemporary
public issue related to the United States Constitution and evaluate alternative
resolutions.
5 – P3.1.3:
Give examples of how conflicts over core democratic values lead people to differ on
contemporary constitutional issues in the United States.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 10 of 11
September 8, 2008
Integrated Early American History
A New Nation
SS0507
Key Concepts: Bill of Rights, public issue, U.S. Constitution
Lesson 8: Taking a Position on a Public Issue Relating to the U.S. Constitution
Content Expectations:
5 – P3.1.1: Identify contemporary public issues related to the United States Constitution and their
related factual, definitional, and ethical questions.
5 – P3.1.2:
Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a contemporary
public issue related to the United States Constitution and evaluate alternative
resolutions.
5 – P3.1.3:
Give examples of how conflicts over core democratic values lead people to differ on
contemporary constitutional issues in the United States.
5 – P3.3.1:
Compose a short essay expressing a position on a contemporary public policy issue
related to the Constitution and justify the position with a reasoned argument.
Key Concepts: Bill of Rights, public issue, U.S. Constitution
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org
Page 11 of 11
September 8, 2008