The US Constitution, Part 1: First, watch the videos below. As you watch, take notes on the following:
What were the accomplishments of the new United States under the Articles of Confederation? What were the key weaknesses of that government?
What was Shays’s Rebellion, and how did it lead to a change in governing documents?
What key conflicts emerged at the Constitutional Convention? What compromises were created to resolve those conflicts?
How did the provisions of the Constitution reflect the issues and problems that led to the American Revolution?
Slavery and the Making of America: This documentary focuses on African Americans’ experiences during and after the American Revolution. As you watch, take notes on the following:
- What steps did enslaved people take to seek freedom during the Revolutionary era? How did the use the rhetoric and examples of white leaders of the Revolution to do so?
- Which attempts to gain freedom were successful? Which were unsuccessful? Can you distinguish any patterns between the two?
- How did the US Constitution deal with slavery? What constitutional issues related to slavery seem likely to re-emerge later in this course?
The US Constitution, Part 2: Finally, read the US Constitution itself, using the . As you read, take notes on the following:
- Articles I, II, and III set up each of the three main branches of government. Which branch goes with each article? What are the key powers and responsibilities of each branch? Which branch seems to have received the most attention from the Constitutional Convention? (why?)
- What are some ways that the Constitution empowered voters and other citizens? What are some restrictions it put on the powers of the people?
- What are some examples of separation of powers in the Constitution? How did these decisions seem to reflect the issues that led to the American Revolution?
- What specific rights protected in the Bill of Rights seem related to the conflicts that led to the American Revolution?
