Vocabulary;
KEY TERMS
Benjamin Franklin: A Founding Father who helped write the United States Constitution. (H5b)
James Madison: He is often call the Father of the United States Constitution. He encouraged George Washington to lead the Constitutional Convention. (H5b)
Articles of Confederation: Americans created the new national government with this document. In this new government, the states remained independent. The national government was given authority to make treaties, create a military, and make currency. The new national government could not tax or regulate business. (H5a)
Constitutional Convention: The Articles of Confederation needed some changes in order to better govern the new nation. The Constitutional Convention was called together to make changes to the new government and to write the United States Constitution. Subjects debated were the rights of states, the Great Compromise, and slavery. (H5b)
Great Compromise: An agreement made at the Constitutional Convention, which created two houses of Congress. One house would have representation based on population; the other would have equal representation for each state. (H5b)
Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. They are individual freedoms and rights. (H5d)
Checks and balances: Power that is given to each branch of the government over the others. Its purpose is to keep one branch of government from becoming too powerful. (CG3d)
Popular sovereignty: The idea that the government is created by and for the people. This is stressed in the United States Constitution, which begins with the words “We, the People . . . .” The people shape the United States government, unlike nations that are governed by one authority figure or a sovereign power. (CG1b)
Executive branch of the federal government: The branch that includes the president. It is responsible for managing the country and enforcing laws. It is also the branch that maintains military forces. (H5c, CG3a, b, c)
Legislative branch of the federal government: The branch that makes new laws and creates the federal government’s budget. It is also called Congress. It is divided into two parts. They are called the Senate and the House of Representatives. Judicial branch of government: The branch that has the main responsibility of deciding if laws are constitutional. It is headed by the Supreme Court. (H5c, CG3a, b)
Federal government: The body of government that has authority over the entire country. It is divided into the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. (CG1c)
Ratify: The act of giving approval to something such as the Constitution of the United States. (H5d, CG1a,b,c)
The War of 1812: A war between the United States and Britain. It was sparked by British interference in American sea trade. During the war, the British invaded Washington, D.C., burning the White House and the Capitol. The treaty ending the conflict was signed in 1815, but the fighting did not stop until two weeks afterward.(H5e)
KEY IDEA
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation: The Articles of Confederation was adopted by all thirteen states after the Revolutionary War. It was intended to be the governing document of the new United States. However, it did not give the federal government the power to:
• levy taxes
• organize an army or navy
• force states to obey federal laws
• organize a national court system
It also allowed states to issue their own money and to tax items from other states. Because of its weaknesses, it was obvious that the Articles needed to be replaced. In May of that year, delegates from all thirteen states met to draft the United States Constitution. The states ratified the United States Constitution and it replaced the Articles of Confederation. The United States Constitution remains in force today. (H5a)
Websites
A New Nation Review
http://mrnussbaum.com/constitution/activities/
People of the Revolution
Constitution Treasure Hunts
Mr. Kash’s Activities (VERY GOOD!)
Games
No Taxation Without Representation Game
The Great Preamble Race
Preamble Match Game
KEY TERMS
Benjamin Franklin: A Founding Father who helped write the United States Constitution. (H5b)
James Madison: He is often call the Father of the United States Constitution. He encouraged George Washington to lead the Constitutional Convention. (H5b)
Articles of Confederation: Americans created the new national government with this document. In this new government, the states remained independent. The national government was given authority to make treaties, create a military, and make currency. The new national government could not tax or regulate business. (H5a)
Constitutional Convention: The Articles of Confederation needed some changes in order to better govern the new nation. The Constitutional Convention was called together to make changes to the new government and to write the United States Constitution. Subjects debated were the rights of states, the Great Compromise, and slavery. (H5b)
Great Compromise: An agreement made at the Constitutional Convention, which created two houses of Congress. One house would have representation based on population; the other would have equal representation for each state. (H5b)
Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. They are individual freedoms and rights. (H5d)
Checks and balances: Power that is given to each branch of the government over the others. Its purpose is to keep one branch of government from becoming too powerful. (CG3d)
Popular sovereignty: The idea that the government is created by and for the people. This is stressed in the United States Constitution, which begins with the words “We, the People . . . .” The people shape the United States government, unlike nations that are governed by one authority figure or a sovereign power. (CG1b)
Executive branch of the federal government: The branch that includes the president. It is responsible for managing the country and enforcing laws. It is also the branch that maintains military forces. (H5c, CG3a, b, c)
Legislative branch of the federal government: The branch that makes new laws and creates the federal government’s budget. It is also called Congress. It is divided into two parts. They are called the Senate and the House of Representatives. Judicial branch of government: The branch that has the main responsibility of deciding if laws are constitutional. It is headed by the Supreme Court. (H5c, CG3a, b)
Federal government: The body of government that has authority over the entire country. It is divided into the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. (CG1c)
Ratify: The act of giving approval to something such as the Constitution of the United States. (H5d, CG1a,b,c)
The War of 1812: A war between the United States and Britain. It was sparked by British interference in American sea trade. During the war, the British invaded Washington, D.C., burning the White House and the Capitol. The treaty ending the conflict was signed in 1815, but the fighting did not stop until two weeks afterward.(H5e)
KEY IDEA
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation: The Articles of Confederation was adopted by all thirteen states after the Revolutionary War. It was intended to be the governing document of the new United States. However, it did not give the federal government the power to:
• levy taxes
• organize an army or navy
• force states to obey federal laws
• organize a national court system
It also allowed states to issue their own money and to tax items from other states. Because of its weaknesses, it was obvious that the Articles needed to be replaced. In May of that year, delegates from all thirteen states met to draft the United States Constitution. The states ratified the United States Constitution and it replaced the Articles of Confederation. The United States Constitution remains in force today. (H5a)
Websites
A New Nation Review
http://mrnussbaum.com/constitution/activities/
People of the Revolution
Constitution Treasure Hunts
Mr. Kash’s Activities (VERY GOOD!)
Games
No Taxation Without Representation Game
The Great Preamble Race
Preamble Match Game