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Our Documents Teacher Sourcebook, Volume III Our Documents is a program of: The Sourcebook is sponsored by: The National Archives and Records Administration, National History Day, and The History Channel are proud to continue their partnership in the Our Documents initiative and this third volume of the Our Documents Teacher Sourcebook. This program is not just about looking at old documents. The documents serve as a catalyst to help teachers, students, parents, and all Americans to strengthen their understanding and appreciation of the records and values that undergird our democracy. Exploring the historical milestones they represent teaches us about our continual quest to “form a more perfect union.” This year we are again making available more supporting material for the 100 documents, sharing additional ideas about how teachers can use these documents in their classes, and illustrating how they might help their students connect these pivotal documents to major themes in American history and to events and issues they face in their own lives. When President Bush launched the Our Documents initiative in September 2002 he noted, “Our history is not a story of perfection. It is a story of imperfect people working toward great ideas.” We hope you find this sourcebook helpful as your classes explore the great ideas at the heart of our union that continue to shape the nation’s future. John W. Carlin Cathy Gorn, Ph.D. Libby O’Connell, Ph.D. Archivist of the Executive Director Historian in Residence United States National History Day The History Channel Our Documents: A National Initiative on American History, A Timeline: THE 100 DOCUMENTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 1777 1778 1782 1776 Declaration of Articles of Treaty of Alliance Original Design Lee Resolution Independence Confederation with France of the Great Seal Richard Henry Lee, The formal statement of This is the first “blueprint” Believing that they would of the United States Virginia delegate to separation and list of of government adopted by benefit militarily by allying Several years in the the Second Continental grievances, as well as the Continental Congress themselves with a making, the Great Seal Congress, urges the the principles that inform during the Revolutionary powerful nation, the is adopted by Congress; Congress to declare them, is issued by the War. Wary of a strong revolutionary colonies it symbolizes the colonial independence Continental Congress central power in the wake form an alliance with sovereignty of the from Great Britain on on behalf of the 13 of their experiences with France against Great new nation. June 7. His statement American colonies Britain, the Articles reserve Britain. According to this to the Revolutionary against Great Britain. the right for each state to first military treaty of the Congress, which is maintain “its sovereignty, new nation, the United adopted and forms the freedom and independence.” States will provide for a basis of the Declaration The Articles identify defensive alliance to aid of Independence, Americans as citizens of France should England is known as the their own state first, and of attack, and neither France “Lee Resolution.” the United States second. nor the United States will make peace with England until the independence of the United States is recognized. National History Day is a nationally acclaimed history education program that is promoting the study of civics and citizenship among the nation’s students and teachers. National History Day is encouraging students in grades 6-12 to participate in its annual student competition USA Freedom Corps is a White House on Communication in History and is Coordinating Council created by President challenging teachers to develop lessons to George W. Bush to help foster a culture of restore the study of our nation’s heritage to service, citizenship and responsibility in a prominent place in the classroom. To find America’s communities. To find out more, out more, go to go to www.usafreedomcorps.gov. www.nationalhistoryday.org. The Teacher Sourcebook is sponsored by The National Archives and Records The History Channel. Now reaching 83.2 Administration is a federal agency that million Nielsen subscribers, The History It is the purpose of Our Documents: provides ready access to essential Channel brings history to life in a powerful government records that document the manner and provides an inviting place A National Initiative on American History, Civics, rights of American citizens, the actions of where people experience history personally and Service to promote public exploration of how Federal officials, and the national and connect their own lives to the great our democracy has taken shape over time. Our experience. Through the National Archives lives and events of the past. The History Documents is an initiative of National History Day and Experience, the National Archives is Channel received the prestigious The National Archives and Records Administration in developing new, interactive educational Governor’s award from the Academy of cooperation with the USA Freedom Corps. programs to give people a deeper Television Arts & Sciences for the understanding of the contemporary network’s Save Our History campaign importance and value of our country’s dedicated to historic preservation and recorded history. To find out more, go to education. Find out more at Civics, and Service www.archives.gov. www.historychannel.com. 1783 1787 Treaty of Virginia Plan Paris Having agreed the Northwest Ordinance Ending the war Articles of Confederation This ordinance, passed by between Great Britain were too weak a basis the Confederation Congress and its former on which to build a new on July 13, establishes the colonies, this treaty national government, United States’ control over formally recognizes the delegates to a the territory north of the the United States convention charged with Ohio River and east of as an independent creating a new the Mississippi River. The ordinance lays the nation. Constitution for the groundwork for national westward expansion United States adopt this by defining steps for the creation of new states. new blueprint for government on May 29. Written by Virginia convention delegate James Madison, this plan proposes a strong central government composed of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. It also enables the legislative branch to veto state laws and use force against states that fail to fulfill their duties. Our Documents: A National Initiative on: American History, Civics, and Service Teacher Sourcebook, Volume III The Our Documents: A National Initiative on American History, Civics, and Service Teacher Sourcebook is sponsored by The History Channel. The Our Documents Initiative is also sponsored by Siemens © Copyright 2004 National History Day May be duplicated without permission for educational purposes. Not for resale. Compiled and Edited by: Julie McCullough, National History Day Contributions and Editorial Assistance by: Lee Ann Potter and Daniel Rulli, National Archives and Records Administration Development and Editorial Assistance by: Cathy Gorn, Executive Director, National History Day Image Editors: Mark Robinson, National History Day, and Jeff Reed, National Archives and Records Administration Design by: R+B Design Firm 1787 continued Constitution of the Federalist Paper No. 10 United States In order for the newly drafted After months of debate Constitution to become law, in Philadelphia, the it needs to be ratified by nine Convention charged with of the 13 states. Some voters in constructing a system of the states have to be convinced government to replace that the new Constitution is that created by the worth adopting. The Federalist Articles of Confederation Papers, which are a series of adopts a new national newspaper essays written by Constitution. This James Madison, Alexander Constitution creates a Hamilton, and John Jay, are representative democratic written to promote the republican form of ratification of the Constitution. government with a system In Federalist No. 10, Madison argues that the of checks and balances. The new representative democratic republican form of government will have three branches: the Legislative branch government created by the new Constitution that will include a House of Representatives and a Senate, provides a remedy for the diseases to which such an Executive branch, and a Judicial branch. governments are most prone: factions. Timeline CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 Contents Introduction Lessons that Work: Our Documents 2004 Winning Lesson Plans 4 Our Documents at Work in the Nation’s Classrooms: The Our Documents 34 The Legacy of Indian Removal Initiative in its Third Year (1830-1840) 7 The People’s Vote: Results Across 47 Encountering the Plains: the Nation and in the Classroom African-American Homesteading on the Central Plains (1870s) Working with Our Documents More About Our Documents 10 Understanding Our Documents: A Competition for Students 55 Electronic Preservation and Access: A Delicate Balance 11 Teaching Our Documents: A Lesson Competition for Educators 61 Selected Bibliography 13 List of the 100 Milestone Documents 15 Tapping into Local Repositories to Teach Our Documents 22 Introducing Students to Primary Source Documents 28 The 1965 Voting Rights Act we the people in order to form a more perfect union discover… investigate … participate www.ourdocuments.gov Introduction: Third Year Our Documents at Work in —By Lee Ann Potter and Daniel Rulli, National Archives and Records Administration
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