Students learn about the first stages of the U.S. Constitution—the debates behind the drafting and signing of this document. They'll discover when and why this document was written, the two main plans that were proposed for the nation's government, and the compromises that were reached before the delegates would sign the document.
Students are introduced to the purpose of the experience and the role of the U.S. Constitution in defining the nation’s government, laws, and basic rights. They examine the opening phrase “We the People of the United States…” and respond to a collaborative wall prompt explaining what “We the People” means to them today and how its meaning might have been different for people writing the Constitution in 1787.
Teacher MovesHighlight how student ideas connect to themes of unity, identity, and shared purpose. Emphasize that beginning the Constitution with “We the People” signaled that authority came from the people as a whole rather than from individual states or a king. Use student responses to transition into the lesson’s focus on how the framers designed and agreed on a new system of government that balanced power and created a stronger union.
Students watch The Making of the American Constitution to review the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and gain an overview of why a new constitution was needed. They answer two poll questions identifying the Articles of Confederation as the nation’s first national government and the goal of forming a stronger central government as the reason the Constitutional Convention convened in 1787. Students then read A Cast of National Superstars to learn who attended the Constitutional Convention and complete a graphic organizer describing key traits the delegates had in common.
Teacher MovesClarify correct answers to the polls to reinforce why the Articles of Confederation were replaced and why a stronger central government was sought. As students share traits of the delegates, add possible answers (such as their national prominence and lack of representation from western states) and prompt students to consider why these similarities mattered. Ask how the delegates’ shared backgrounds and beliefs may have shaped the kind of government they designed and limited the perspectives represented in the Constitution.
Students read The Tough Issues and Drafting the Constitution to learn about the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan and how each proposed organizing Congress and selecting representatives. They complete a comparison table describing, for each plan, the number of houses in Congress, how representation per state would be determined, and how representatives would be chosen. Students then answer two multiple-choice questions about why supporters of the New Jersey Plan opposed the Virginia Plan and which plan was ultimately selected as the framework for discussion.
Teacher MovesUse the provided details to support students in accurately completing the comparison table for the Virginia and New Jersey Plans. After students record the features of each plan, ask why large states favored the Virginia Plan and small states favored the New Jersey Plan, guiding them to see how state interests and population differences created conflict. Connect their responses to the broader challenge of designing a government that balanced competing interests and set up the need for compromise at the Convention.
Students read Constitution through Compromise to explore unresolved issues at the Convention, including representation in Congress, voting and election processes, and slavery. Focusing first on the Connecticut (Great) Compromise, they respond on a wall to explain how it satisfied both small and large states. Next, they complete a graphic organizer describing who could elect members of the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President under the original Constitution. Students then examine how slavery was addressed: they consider George Mason’s views on the Fugitive Clause in a wall response, and respond to another wall prompt explaining which states wanted enslaved people counted in the population and how the Three-Fifths Compromise attempted to balance the interests of slave and free states. They conclude by reflecting on how these compromises, especially those related to slavery, enabled delegates to sign the Constitution by September 1787.
Teacher MovesExplain how the Connecticut Compromise created a bicameral Congress, with equal representation for each state in the Senate and population-based representation in the House, and connect this directly to student responses. Support students as they complete the election-process organizer, and, if appropriate, note that the Seventeenth Amendment later changed the way Senators are chosen. When discussing slavery-related clauses, reinforce that George Mason opposed slavery and would have viewed the Fugitive Clause as unjust, and clarify that slaveholding states wanted enslaved people counted to increase representation in the House. Use the description of the Three-Fifths Compromise to help students see how it increased the political power of slaveholding states while denying enslaved people rights, and emphasize that some compromises were deeply harmful even as they secured agreement on the Constitution.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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