Historical Development of the Constitution
Unit description: The newly independent states faced political and economic struggles under the Articles of Confederation. These challenges resulted in a Constitutional Convention, a debate over ratification, and the eventual adoption of the Bill of Rights. In this unit, students will study how colonies struggling to address their differing social, political, and economic interests and to establish unity led to the writing of the Articles of Confederation and eventually the Constitution, which established a democratic republic with a strong central government. Students will investigate the people’s division on issues such as states rights, role/limits of federal power, and guarantees of individual freedoms.
Standards
Standards: 1, 5; Themes: GOV, CIV
Essential Questions and Big Ideas
- Big idea of the unit: The newly independent states faced political and economic struggles under the Articles of Confederation
- What were some of the issues that led to the writing of the Articles of Confederation?
- Throughout the American Revolution, the colonies struggled to address their differing social, political, and economic interests and to establish unity.
- The Articles of Confederation created a form of government that loosely united the states, but allowed states to maintain a large degree of sovereignty.
- What was the issue with the Articles of Confederation and what solution was devised?
- The lack of a strong central government under the Articles of Confederation presented numerous challenges. A convention was held to revise the Articles, the result of which was the Constitution. The Constitution established a democratic republic with a stronger central government.
- What were some of the issues that advocates were divided on for and against a strong central government?
- Advocates for and against a strong central government were divided on issues of States rights, role/limits of federal power, and guarantees of individual freedoms. Compromises were needed between the states in order to ratify the Constitution.
Download the complete Grade 7 Social Studies Unit 4 framework to customize for your own planning.