Day 7

Learning Target:  

Students will be able to ...

• Explain the constitutional principles of separation of powers and “checks and balances.”
• Explain the implications of separation of powers and “checks and balances” for the U.S. political system.
• Explain how the author’s argument or perspective relates to political principles, institutions, processes, policies, and behaviors.

Opener:  Quick Write

After reading the brief description below, respond to prompt in blue.

At 5'4", James Madison was too small to enlist in the Revolutionary War against the British.  Madison, however, was an intelligent and ambitious person who would later be referred to as "The Father of the Constitution", since his contributions at the Constitutional Convention outlined a system of government where no one person, or institution, could ever assume complete control over the government.  Imagine if "Little Jemmy" had enlisted and perished in the war.

Other ideas, however, emerged at the convention.  Alexander Hamilton proposed that Presidents should serve for life, while Franklin thought that the office of President should be shared by 3 people, and decisions would be put to a vote between these three.  In the end, however, the three branches that we know today (Legislative/Congress, Executive/President, and Judicial/Supreme Court) were entrusted to share power equally and with a system of "checks" that limited the power of each branch.

Since there were 55 delegates from all 13 states, how do you think that "Little Jemmy" was able to get them all to listen to, and adopt, his ideas?

Activity #1:  Federalist #51 - Use ASAP to analyze the document below.

Federalist #51 was part of a series of papers written to persuade state legislatures to vote in favor of adopting (ratify) the newly drafted US Constitution in 1787.  James Madison, the writer of the document excerpts below, was the chief architect of the Constitution and therefore defended its design.

In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department should have a will of its own; and consequently should be so constituted that the members of each should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others. ...

But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government.

But it is not possible to give to each department an equal power of self- defense. In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this inconveniency is to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them, by different modes of election and different principles of action, as little connected with each other as the nature of their common functions and their common dependence on the society will admit. It may even be necessary to guard against dangerous encroachments by still further precautions.

Activity #2:  Nifty Fifty - Checks and Balances

LD:  System within government where power is divided between multiple branches and each branch can limit the power of the other branches.  Prevents the concentration of power.

SD:

Examples:

Related Terms:

Non-Examples:

Close: Topic Quiz 1.5 & 1.6 - Constitutional Convention Checks and Balances

https://apclassroom.collegeboard.org

DAY 6

Learning Targets:

• Students will be able to explain the ongoing impact of political negotiation and compromise at the Constitutional Convention on the development of the constitutional system.

Opener:  Island Scenario Update #2 

• The American Naval forces that have occupied your island have announced that they will take over the allocation of rations on the island, as well as implement a curfew that is in effect at sunset each night.
• As a result two of the groups, totaling about 20 of your residents, have begun planning a rebellion to hopefully eject the American forces that have occupied the island. 
• Additionally, several residents have begun secretly trading items with Chinese smugglers on the backside of the island to avoid the restrictions and taxes imposed on them by the US. 
• The commander of the occupation forces has approached you about “dealing” with these smugglers by finding our their identities. 

What do you do?

Activity #1:  THE CONVENTION

The Constitutional Convention
The Articles of Confederation was clearly failing and Shays' Rebellion highlighted the problems the new government was having. As a result, Congress authorized states to send delegates in the summer of 1787 to Philadelphia to revise the Articles. This became known as the Constitutional Convention and led to the creation of the world's longest lasting written constitution. Central to the convention was the series of compromises made by the delegates to help achieve consensus.

Task:  In your notebook, provide a brief summary of how each of the following proposals introduced at the Constitutional Convention approached the question of representation:

• Virginia (Madison) Plan:
• New Jersey Plan:
• Connecticut (Great) Compromise:
• 3/5 Compromise:

Activity #2: 

Now answer each of the following key questions in your notebook below your summaries. Use the slideshow and/or the video linked below if needed.

1. What were the key differences between the Virginia and New Jersey plans?
2. How did the Great Compromise solve the dilemma of representation?
3. How was the issue of slavery handled at the convention? How did that impact the future of our country?

OR, if you have earbuds.....

Activity #3:  N-50 Connecticut Compromise

LD:  The final agreement at the Constitutional Convention that solved the issue of representation by creating a system based on both population (in the HoR) and by state (in the Senate).

SD:

Examples:

Non-Examples:

Related Terms:

Close: Topic Quiz 1.2/1.4
https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/

DAY 6

Learning Targets:

• Students will be able to explain the ongoing impact of political negotiation and compromise at the Constitutional Convention on the development of the constitutional system.

Opener:  Island Scenario Update #2 

• The American Naval forces that have occupied your island have announced that they will take over the allocation of rations on the island, as well as implement a curfew that is in effect at sunset each night.
• As a result two of the groups, totaling about 20 of your residents, have begun planning a rebellion to hopefully eject the American forces that have occupied the island. 
• Additionally, several residents have begun secretly trading items with Chinese smugglers on the backside of the island to avoid the restrictions and taxes imposed on them by the US. 
• The commander of the occupation forces has approached you about “dealing” with these smugglers by finding our their identities. 

What do you do?

Activity #1:  THE CONVENTION

The Constitutional Convention
The Articles of Confederation was clearly failing and Shays' Rebellion highlighted the problems the new government was having. As a result, Congress authorized states to send delegates in the summer of 1787 to Philadelphia to revise the Articles. This became known as the Constitutional Convention and led to the creation of the world's longest lasting written constitution. Central to the convention was the series of compromises made by the delegates to help achieve consensus.

Task:  In your notebook, provide a brief summary of how each of the following proposals introduced at the Constitutional Convention approached the question of representation:

• Virginia (Madison) Plan:
• New Jersey Plan:
• Connecticut (Great) Compromise:
• 3/5 Compromise:

Activity #2: 

Now answer each of the following key questions in your notebook below your summaries. Use the slideshow and/or the video linked below if needed.

1. What were the key differences between the Virginia and New Jersey plans?
2. How did the Great Compromise solve the dilemma of representation?
3. How was the issue of slavery handled at the convention? How did that impact the future of our country?

OR, if you have earbuds.....

Activity #3:  N-50 Connecticut Compromise

LD:  The final agreement at the Constitutional Convention that solved the issue of representation by creating a system based on both population (in the HoR) and by state (in the Senate).

SD:

Examples:

Non-Examples:

Related Terms:

Close: Topic Quiz 1.2/1.4
https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/

DAY 5

Learning Targets:

Students will be able to:

• Explain how democratic ideals are reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. 
• Explain the relationship between key provisions of the Articles of Confederation and the debate over granting the federal government greater power formerly reserved to the states.

Opener - Use ASAP (introduced on DAY 3) to analyze the document below.  You have 4 minutes! 

Common Sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775–76 promoting independence from Great Britain to people in the 13 colonies. Writing in clear and persuasive prose, Paine made moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government.

“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. . . .Volumes have been written on the subject of the struggle between England and America. Men of all ranks have embarked in the controversy, from different motives, and with various designs; but all have been ineffectual, and the period of debate is closed. 

Arms, as the last resource, decide the contest; the appeal was the choice of the king, and the continent hath accepted the challenge.” “The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth. ‘Tis not the affair of a city, a country, a province, or a kingdom, but of a continent.  But Britain is the parent country, say some. Then the more shame upon her conduct. Even brutes do not devour their young, nor savages make war upon their families . . .

I challenge the warmest advocate for reconciliation, to shew, a single advantage that this continent can reap, by being connected with Great Britain. I repeat the challenge, not a single advantage is derived. . . .

Every thing that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, ‘TIS TIME TO PART. . . .

As to government matters, it is not in the power of Britain to do this continent justice: The business of it will soon be too weighty, and intricate, to be managed with any tolerable degree of convenience, by a power, so distant from us, and so very ignorant of us; for if they cannot conquer us, they cannot govern us. . . .

I am not induced by motives of pride, party, or resentment to espouse the doctrine of separation and independence; I am clearly, positively, and conscientiously persuaded that it is the true interest of this continent to be so . . .

O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth!”

Activity #2 - The Island - Update #1

After a long and heated debate about who will govern your island, and what the rules should be, your fellow citizens have settled on the following:

1. The citizens of the island will be divided in to 5 groups of approximately 7-12 people and a representative of that group will be elected to speak for the group in the Island Congress.  This group will be in charge of rationing resources, creating any additional rules or laws.  
2. Each group will be responsible for distributing these rationed resources, ensuring that their group members are productive, and enforcing the laws created by the Island Congress.
3. Each group may make additional rules for their group but will apply only to their group members.
4. 
   

Additionally, a US Navy vessel has anchored just off of your island and a small boat full of sailors has just reached the beach and already they have begun setting up a camp near one of your small settlements.  So far they have been polite and cordial and have kept to themselves.....so far.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to this system?  What potential problems can you foresee?

Activity #3:  AoC Mini-Lecture

• 13 states, varying in size, each acted autonomously.
• National government was made deliberately weak.
• No national executive, court system or means of collecting taxes.
• Each state coined its own money and made its own rules for trade with the other states.
• Changes to the AoC had to be unanimous.

Close:  N-50 Federalism

LD: A system of government in which the national government is superior to the state governments, but some decisions (taxes, lawmaking, etc) are still left to the states.

SD: 

Examples:

Non-Examples:

Related Terms: