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Introduction to the US Constitution

Kathy Patterson, Jerry Wayne, Sheila Wayne Clinton Schools

Spring 2007

Signing of the Declaration of Independence Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774 - 1778 Library of Congress, American Memory

Over 200 years ago on September 17, 1787 delegates at the Constitutional Congress signed one of the most important documents in our history. The Constitution outlines our freedoms, rights, and responsibilities as Americans. Using primary sources students will look into America’s past and the development of the US Constitution.

Overview/ Materials /LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension

Overview Back to Navigation Bar Objectives Students will:  interpret primary source documents in historical context  analyze changes in the final drafts of the preamble  memorize and interpret the meaning of the preamble Recommended time frame 1 week Grade level Middle School – High School Curriculum fit Social Studies Materials  Illinois Handbook of Government  Computer Lab with internet access  Unit Worksheets (See Attached) Illinois State Learning Standards Back to Navigation Bar Social Science: GOAL 14: Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.  14.A Understand and explain the basic principles of

An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University the US government.

GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the US, and other nations.  16.A Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.

Procedures Back to Navigation Bar Day One:  Students will go to the Library of Congress web site and view a picture of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? pp/horyd:@field(NUMBER+@band(thc+5a50954))  As they observe the picture they will use a photo analysis worksheet from the TPS web site.  This will be used as an introduction to the constitution and allow the students to get a feel for the time period.

Day Two:  Students will be asked to go to the Library of Congress web site and identify the differences between the original Preamble to the Constitution and today’s current version of the Constitution.

Day Three:  Students will go to the Library of Congress web site to look at a copy of the Preamble with George Washington’s notes on it. They will look for similarities and differences between his copy, the original copy, and that of the current day.  They will also be asked to identify why they feel there was a need for a preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Day Four:  Students will go to the Library of Congress web site to look at several different primary sources that will allow them to see how the preamble leads to the formation of the Bill of Rights.  This will allow the students to peak their interest in the Constitution of the United States.

An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University Day Five:  Back in the classroom, students will demonstrate that they have learned the preamble by creating their own preamble document.  Next, they will interpret the documents meaning by rewriting their own version of the preamble in modern day language.

Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar  Students will create a document identical in wording and structure to the preamble. They will also interpret the meaning of the preamble.  A rubric will be used to assess this activity.

Extension Back to Navigation Bar  Using the computer and the Library of Congress students read the personal correspondence of delegates to gain a better understanding the Federal Convention members. Places to research are noted below. Students will then write a paper about the hopes, aspirations, and fears of the delegates and the role they play on the formation of the Constitution.  Farrand, Max (ed.). The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1966. (This 3 vol. study is an excellent resource which includes a number letters from delegates with students can explore in order to examine the Framers from a more humanistic vantage point)  Hutson, James H. (ed.). Supplement to Max Farrand's The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987. (This includes hundreds of personal letters from delegates and a number of George Washington diary entries.)

An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University Primary Resources from the Library of Congress Back to Navigation Bar

Resource Table Image Citation Description URL Signing of the This is a painting showing http://lcweb2.loc.gov Declaration of the signing of the US /cgi-bin/query/i? Independence Constitution. pp/horyd:@field(NU Documents from the MBER+@band(thc+ Continental Congress 5a50954)):displayTy and the Constitutional pe=1:m856sd=thc:m Convention, 1774 - 856sf=5a50954 1778 Library of http://memory.loc.go Congress, v/cgi-bin/query/r? American pp/horyd:@field(NU MemoryDigital MBER+@band(thc+ ID: thc 5a50954 5a50954))

Documents from the Copy 1 “c1787, Aug. 3 http://memory.loc.go Continental Congress Report of Committee of v/cgi-bin/ampage? and Constitutional Details” “We the people collId=bdsdcc&fileN Convention, 1774- of the states of New- ame=c01a2/bdsdccc 1789 Hampshire, Massachusetts, 01a2.db&recNum=0 Library of Congress, Rhode-Island and American Memory Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, do ordain, declare and establish the following ….” Documents from the Copy 2 of above missing http://memory.loc.go Continental Congress the hand written dates “We v/cgi-bin/ampage? and Constitutional the people of the states of collId=bdsdcc&fileN Convention, 1774- New-Hampshire, ame=c01a2/bdsdccc 1789 Massachusetts, Rhode- 01a2.db&recNum=0 Library of Congress, Island and Providence American Memory Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North- Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, do ordain, declare and establish the following ….” An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University Documents from the Original final document of http://memory.loc.go Continental Congress the Bill of Rights “We, the v/cgi-bin/ampage? and Constitutional People of the United States, collId=bdsdcc&fileN Convention, 1774- in order to form a more ame=n003001/bdsdc 1789 perfect Union, establish cn003001.db&recNu Library of Congress, Justice, insure domestic m=0 American Memory Tranquility,…”

Note the printing of the letter s is f. Documents from the Recommendation by the http://memory.loc.go Continental Congress Congress to Legislature to v/cgi-bin/ampage? and Constitutional call a convention for the collId=bdsdcc&fileN Convention, 1774- purpose of adopting the ame=c2001/bdsdccc 1789 constitution of a general 2001.db&recNum=0 Library of Congress, government. American Memory

An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University Library of Congress Preamble with George http://memory.loc.gov/ Manuscript Division. Washington’s personal cgi-bin/ampage? handwritten notes collId=mgw4&fileNa me=gwpage097.db&re cNum=232

Hintermeister, Henry, Print of the signing of the http://memory.loc.gov/ The foundation of Constitution. cgi-bin/query/r? American Government pp/ils:@filreq(@field( Library of Congress NUMBER+@band(cp American Memory h+3a04871)) 1897. Library of +@field(COLLID+cph Congress Prints and )) Photographs. Publisher: Newark, New Jersey : http://memory.loc.gov/ Osborn Co. cgi-bin/query/r? pp/ils:@filreq(@field( NUMBER+@band(cp h+3a04871)) +@field(COLLID+cph ))

Library of Congress, The document that Jefferson http://memory.loc.gov/ Manuscript Division used to chart the votes on the cgi-bin/ampage? US Constitution collId=mtj1&fileName =mtj1page010.db&rec Num=678

Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson’s notes on http://memory.loc.gov/ Manuscript Division the US Constitution. cgi-bin/ampage? collId=mtj1&fileName =mtj1page010.db&rec Num=677

Library of Congress, A bill of rights as provided in http://memory.loc.gov/ Rare Book and Special the ten original amendments to cgi-bin/ampage? Collections Division. the constitution of the US collId=rbpe&fileName December 15, 1791 =rbpe24/rbpe244/2440 4400/rbpe24404400.db &recNum=0

An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University Rubric Back to Navigation Bar

Student Name: ______

Preamble Memorization Test

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Mechanics No misspellings or Three or fewer Four misspellings More than 4 errors grammatical errors. misspellings and/or and/or grammatical in spelling or mechanical errors. errors. grammar.

Completeness Includes all parts. Includes essential Includes essential Missing essential No errors in parts. Few parts. Several parts. wording problems in problems in wording. wording

Interpretation of the Preamble

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Summarization Student uses only 1-3 Student uses several Student summarizes Student has great sentences to describesentences to most of the article difficulty summarizing clearly what the accurately describe accurately, but has the article. article is about. what the article is some slight about. misunderstanding.

Identifies important Student lists all the The student lists all The student lists all The student list some information main points of the the main points, but but one of the main main points, using the preamble without uses the preamble for points, using the preamble, but missing having the article in reference. preamble for more than 1 front of him/her. reference.

Interpretation Accurately describes Accurately describes Describes some Has trouble in writer's own words a couple of the dominant elements, identifying and the meaning of the dominant elements and/or does not use interpreting the preamble and uses writer's own writer's words dominate elements words

An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University Handouts Back to Navigation Bar

Photo Analysis Worksheet Step 1. Observation Study the photograph for 2 minutes. Form an overall impression of the photograph and then examine individual items. Next, divide the photo into quadrants and study each section to see what new details become visible.

Use the chart below to list people, objects, and activities in the photograph. Activities People Objects

Step 2. Inference

Based on what you have observed above, list three things you might infer from this photograph

Step 3. Questions

What questions does this photograph raise in your mind?

Where could you find answers to them?

Designed and developed by the Education Staff, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408

An Adventure of the American Mind Illinois State University