Unit 4- The Constitutional Convention
General Concepts: Citizenship, Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Rights,
Compromise
Enduring Understandings (Big Ideas):
Societies resolve conflicts through legal procedures, force, and/or compromise.
Decisions in the past influence the present.
A democracy depends on its citizens understanding and respecting their individual rights and
responsibilities.
Essential Questions:
In what ways did the Constitution address the problems with Articles of Confederation?
How did colonial plans of self-government influence the writing of the United States Constitution?
How did the Framers use compromise to ensure that the Constitution would reflect different points
of view?
Academic Vocabulary:
Compromise
Language of Instruction:
Delegate
Federalist
Framer
Government Intrusion
Anti-Federalist
Congress/Legislature
Property Rights
Resolution
Majority
Student Understanding (student friendly TEKS)
1A – I can identify the creation and ratification of the Constitution.
1B – I can put events in chronological order.
1C – I can explain why 1787 is important.
4D -- I can analyze reasons why the framers of the Constitution had to compromise.
4E – I can analyze why some Americans wanted to approve the Constitution and why some did not.
6A – I can explain how the Northwest Ordinance set an example for making new states.
15A – I can identify the importance of historic documents on the U.S. system of government.
15B – I can summarize strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
15C – I can identify colonial grievances in the Declaration of Independence and how they were fixed
in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
16A – I can summarize how the U.S. Constitution is amended and why you would do so.
17A – I can analyze the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
21C – I can summarize how a compromise resulted in a peaceful resolution.
Unit 4 – Constitutional Convention 2012-13
Unit 4- The Constitutional Convention
General Concepts: Citizenship, Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Rights,
Compromise
The student will:
History Strand
and be able to:
identify the era and events surrounding the
creation of the Constitution (8.1A)
understand traditional historical
points of reference throughout
American history
apply absolute and relative chronology through
the sequencing of significant individuals and
events (8.1B)
explain the significance of the date: 1787 (8.1C)
understand significant political
and economic issues of the
revolutionary era
understand westward expansion
and its effects on the political,
economic, and social development
of the nation
Government/ Citizenship Strand
understand the American beliefs
and principles reflected in the
Declaration of Independence, the
U.S. Constitution, and other
important historic documents
analyze the issues of the Constitutional
Convention of 1787, including the Great
Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise
(8.4D)
analyze the arguments for and against
ratification (8.4E)
explain how the Northwest Ordinance
established principles and procedures for
orderly expansion of the United States (8.6A)
identify the influence of ideas from historic
documents, including the Magna Carta, the
English Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact,
the Federalist Papers, and selected AntiFederalist writings, on the U.S. system of
government (8.15A)
summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation (8.15B)
identify colonial grievances listed in the
Declaration of Independence and explain how
those grievances were addressed in the U.S.
Constitution and the Bill of Rights (8.15C)
understand the process of
changing the U.S. Constitution and
the impact of amendments on
American society
summarize the purposes for and process of
amending the U.S. Constitution (8.16A)
understands the dynamic nature of
the powers of the national
government and state governments
in a federal system
analyze the arguments of the Federalists and
Anti-Federalists, including those of Alexander
Hamilton, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and
George Mason (8.17A)
understand the importance of the
expression of different points of
view in a constitutional republic
summarize a historical event in which
compromise resulted in a peaceful resolution
(8.21C)
Unit 4 – Constitutional Convention 2012-13
Mastery Level