The Constitutional Convention

Constitutional Convention Packet

Real Name: ______

Convention Name: ______

State: ______

Region: ______

Size of Population: ______

Desired Government: ______

1 Convention Essential Questions:

1. How do you write a constitution?

2. What ideas/concepts do you include in a new plan of government?

3. What is the purpose of a constitutional convention?

4. Why is government important?

5. Why was the Constitutional Convention necessary?

6. How does a Constitution strengthen government?

7. How do you apply a constitution to a country?

8. What are the goals of a constitution?

9. What are the basic principles of a constitution?

10. Is it possible to form a lasting democratic republic?

2 ASSIGNMENTS’ DUE DATES:

1. Convention Name paragraphs a. DUE the first Friday of the Convention.

2. Weekly Correspondence a. DUE every Monday of the Convention.

3. Vocabulary a. 9 words DUE each Friday (27 total).

4. Flag a. DUE at the conclusion of the Convention.

5. Name Tags a. To be worn every day by the delegates.

3 ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Convention Name Paragraphs

Directions: Using your list of names of delegates that attended the real Constitutional Convention of 1787, find the two names that make up your convention name. They may be either first or last names.

Example:

Convention Name = Cotesworth Mifflin

First Name = Charles Cotesworth Pinckney

Last Name = Thomas Mifflin

The combination of the two names gives you the name Cotesworth Mifflin.

Once the names of the real delegates are found, you must then write a biographical paragraph about each of the two delegates that make up your name. Within this paragraph, please provide the following information: 1. How old was the delegate at the time of the Convention? 2. State the delegate represented. 3. Action taken during the real convention by the delegate 4. The delegate’s general feelings toward the new Constitution.

Convention Name = ______

First Name = ______

Delegate’s home state = ______

Last Name = ______

Delegate’s home state = ______

4 2. Weekly Correspondence

Directions: You are to write to your home state about the events of the week. Please include in your letter home the following information:

1. A formal greeting. a. Example: “To the people of the great state of Virginia,”

2. A review of the events of the week in paragraph form.

3. A review of what you have done in the Convention this week.

4. Your general thoughts of the progress of the Convention so far.

Correspondence is due for every delegate every Monday during the Convention. This is meant to be completed at home over the weekend.

3. Vocabulary

Directions: You are to define the vocabulary words listed in your own words, NOT the book definition! There will be 9 vocabulary words due on Friday of each of the first three weeks of the Convention. Terms 1-9 due the first week, terms 10-18 due the second week, and terms 19- 27 due the third week.

Vocabulary Terms:

1. Government 10. Democracy 19. Motion 2. Goals 11. Enumerated Powers 20. Impeach 3. Implied Powers 12. citizen 21. Appropriate 4. Popular 13. Compromise 22. Federalism Sovereignty 14. Power 23. Proposal 5. Article 15. Rights 24. Debate 6. Amend 16. Constituents 25. Assembly 7. Amendment 17. Concurrent Powers 26. Democratic Process 8. Rescind 18. Checks and 27. Parliamentary 9. Principles Balances Procedure

5 4. Flag

Directions: You are to create a new flag for our new country. The flag must contain the following

1. Some sort of representation of the 13 states currently in the nation. 2. Color. 3. Neatness. 4. Explanations of all symbols and colors on the back of the flag. a. What is the meaning behind the colors you chose? b. What do the different symbols represent?

The flags are due at the conclusion of the Convention. The exact due date will be given throughout the course of the Convention.

5. Name Tags

Directions: Every delegate is to refer to any other member of the Convention by their Convention name only. Using someone’s real name will result in loss of points as you are not staying in character. To help with this task, every delegate is to make a name tag to wear every day of the Convention. The name tag must be easily read from across the room. The more creative your name tag, the better the score you will receive for it.

6 The year is 1787… o Horse and buggy is the main mode of transportation. o There is no such thing as an airplane or a car. o The computer is not invented. o Most children do not attend schools, most stay home and work on the farm. o Slavery exists in the South. o There are white slaves known as Indentured Servants. o Everyone attending the convention is white, male and wealthy. o Spain still owns Florida and the lands west of the Mississippi River. o Great Britain still owns Canada.

State Population in 1787:

1. Virginia 538,000 2. Pennsylvania 327,300 3. Massachusetts 317,700 4. North Carolina 270,000 5. Maryland 245,500 6. New York 210,500 7. Connecticut 206,700 8. South Carolina 180,000 9. New Jersey 139,600 10. New Hampshire 87,800 11. Georgia 56,100 12. Rhode Island 52,900 13. Delaware 45,400

7 Constitutional Convention Grading Rubric

Participation (60 points) – Completed Constitution

Staying in Character ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Proposals/Amendments ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Parliamentary Procedure ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Speaking ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Name Tags ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Appropriate Address ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Group Work ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Politics ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Positive Contribution ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Debate ------1 2 3 4 5 6

Delegates Paragraphs (10 points) ______

Correspondence (10 points) ______

Vocabulary (10 points) ______

Flag (10 points) ______

TOTAL (100 points)

8 Questions that need answered:

1. Legislative Branch o How many houses in the Legislative Branch? o How will the states be represented? o How many votes will each state have in government? o How will a law be created? o What are the requirements for being a representative from a state?

2. Executive Branch o What will the Executive Branch be? o Will there be a single Executive or a group of Executives? o What will be the duties and responsibilities of the Executive? o What are the requirements to become an/the Executive?

3. Judicial Branch o What is the court system for the country? o Are there different levels of courts in the country? o What are the requirements to become a judge in the court system? o Are there different requirements for different levels?

4. Bill of Rights o What rights must be guaranteed for the people in the country? o Are there any limits to those rights?

All of the above questions must be answered in order for the Constitution to be complete.

The highest grade you can achieve without a completed Constitution is 40%.

9 Langdon Few Blair Wilson Sherman Butler Hugh Gilman Carroll Hamilton Massachusetts Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey Massachusetts

Northern Northern Northern Northern Northern Large Large Small Small Large Strong Weak Strong Weak Weak Cotesworth Mifflin Clymer Fitzsimons Robert Brearly Nathaniel Franklin Rufus Blount Virginia Delaware Virginia Delaware Maryland

Southern Southern Southern Southern Southern Large Small Large Small Large Weak Strong Strong Weak Strong Gouverneur Baldwin Morris Bassett Jared Dickinson Livingston Yates Martin Strong New Hampshire Massachusetts New Jersey Massachusetts Connecticut

Northern Northern Northern Northern Northern Small Large Small Large Small Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong Read McHenry Roger Ellsworth Richard Broom Pierce Ingersoll Dayton McClurg Virginia Maryland Delaware Virginia Maryland

Southern Southern Southern Southern Southern Large Large Small Large Large Weak Weak Strong Weak Strong Bedford Randolph Benjamin Wythe Martin Rutledge Houstoun Davie Abraham Elbridge Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Connecticut Connecticut Pennsylvania

Northern Northern Northern Northern Northern Large Large Small Small Large Weak Strong Strong Weak Weak

10 Thomas King Jacob Mercer Mason Paterson Luther Lansing Caleb Johnson Virginia Georgia Georgia North Carolina Delaware

Southern Southern Southern Southern Southern Large Small Small Large Small Strong Weak Strong Weak Weak Edmund Gerry George Williamson Nicholas Pinckney Charles Houstoun Richard Spaight New Hampshire Pennsylvania New York New Jersey New Jersey

Northern Northern Northern Northern Northern Small Large Large Small Small Weak Strong Weak Strong Weak Oliver Gunning William Jenifer John Alexander Robert Gorham David Charles Maryland North Carolina Georgia South Carolina Maryland

Southern Southern Southern Southern Southern Large Large Small Small Large Strong Weak Strong Strong Weak William James George Daniel Jonathan George William St. Thomas John William New York Connecticut New York New Hampshire Pennsylvania

Northern Northern Northern Northern Northern Large Small Large Small Large Weak Strong Strong Weak Strong Martin Pierce Alexander Sherman Hamilton Clymer James Nicholas Randolph Mason Georgia South Carolina Delaware North Carolina South Carolina

Southern Southern Southern Southern Southern Small Small Small Large Small Strong Weak Weak Strong Weak

11 You Want To: YOU SAY: INTERRUPT? 2ND? DEBATE? AMEND? VOTE?

Submit your I have a proposal. No Yes Yes Yes Majority proposal to the convention Change a motion I move to amend. No Yes Yes Yes Majority Close Debate I call the question. No Yes No No 2/3 Lay the motion I move to table this No Yes No No Majority aside temporarily motion. Bring a motion I move to take from No Yes No No Majority back the table… Limit or extend I move that debate be No Yes No Yes 2/3 debate limited to… Request Point of information. Yes No No No None information Avoid the motion I object to the Yes No No No 2/3 altogether consideration of this motion. Enforce rules Point of order Yes No No No None Close Meeting I move to adjourn. No Yes No No Majority

Table composed from a table created by Jim Slaughter, Certified Professional Parliamentarian-Teacher & Professional Registered Parliamentarian.