Content Area: Social Studies

 

Index: 6.2A Grade 12 CPI 4

 

Standard: 6.2 - Civics

 

Strand: A - Civic Life, Politics, and Government

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 4 - The student will evaluate competing ideas about the purpose of the national and state governments and how they have changed over time (e.g., the American version of federalism, the powers of the federal government and the states, differing interpretations of Article I, Sections 8-10)

 

Grade: 12

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        Reenacting the Debates.  Prepare copies of selected portions of the Federalist Papers (#10, 14, 15, 51, and 84) and significant writings of the Anti-Federalists (including Letters from the Federal Farmer (Richard Henry Lee), Letters of Agrippa, and Patrick Henry’s speech against the proposed Constitution). Divide the class into two groups-the Federalists and Anti-Federalists-based on student preferences. These groups will debate a number of central issues arising out of the Constitutional Convention, such as the following:
·        Whether the federal constitution of 1787 should include a Bill of Rights—Students write short opinion pieces in the style of The Federalist, defending or opposing the idea of a Bill of Rights.
·        What the size of the federal government should be—Students write short opinion pieces either defending or opposing the Anti-Federalist view. Whether a small, homogeneous country is the best place for the democratic-republic form of government (as Montesquieu held) and the best guarantee of a stable government— Students write an essay either supporting or opposing the argument.

The student groups use desktop publishing software to re-create two newspapers—the Federalist Voice and the Anti-Federalist Clarion. Each publication explains one of the opposing positions and presents the essays and opinion pieces written by the students in the above activities. Students draw Anti-Federalist and Federalist political cartoons and crossword puzzles to put in the newspapers as well. After reading the opposing group’s newspaper, students then hold a final debate between the two groups.