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: