Civics and Economics Student Guide Unit Three: The Creation of the United States Constitution

We the People Lessons 8-12

Date Assignments

Thursday, September 14 In class: Lesson Eight, answer questions 1-5

Monday, September 18 Constitution Day! (well, its on September 17)

Due: Bring your Constitutions to classworth 10
points, and Lesson Nine, answer questions 1-4
In class: The Philadelphia Convention 1787 and the first
plan of government presented by James Madison

Tuesday, September 19 Due: Read Lesson Ten, questions 1-3

In class: Different ideas about representation discussed at
the 1787 Convention, the Slavery question, work in groups
to complete questions 4-5

Wednesday, September 20 Due: Read Lesson Eleven, questions 1-3

In class: Legislative, Executive powers

Thursday, September 21 Due: Lesson 11 questions 4-5

In class: Judicial powers, divided and shared powers and
The Constitution Scramble

Tuesday, September 26 Due: Read Lesson Twelve, questions 1-2

In class: National and state powers and The Constitution
Scramble

Wednesday September 27 Due: Lesson 12 questions 3-4

In class: Slavery and other unanswered questions at the
Convention

Thursday, September 28 Review for the Test

Friday, September 29 Unit Four Test

Review Session 8:10 8:40

Lesson 8 Questions:
1. Explain why the Articles of Confederation were created AND who created it.
2. Summarize the two fears of the Congress in creating a strong national government.
3 Complete the two-column chart that summarizes the weaknesses and the achievements of
the Articles of Confederation.
4. Why was it difficult to amend the Articles of Confederation?
5. Briefly summarize Shays Rebellion (using the video notes sheet). Then, answer this
question: why did this event prove the weaknesses under the Articles of Confederation?
Lesson 9 Questions:
1. Use your pocket Constitution to do the following: read page 4. Then, on pages 5-12,
select two Founding Fathers and take margin notes as you read about them.
2. Go back to Lesson 9. Skip the pages about the descriptions of the Framers. Identify
the influential Americans who were not at the Convention.
3. List the rules for the Convention on page 70.
4. Identify and explain 4 main points of the Virginia Plan. This is an important plan to
understand -- pay close attention to its components.

Lesson 10 Questions:
1. Make a two column chart with the ideas the Framers agreed and disagreed upon. Be
sure to include terms like proportional representation and equal representation.
2. Summarize 3 key points of the New Jersey Plan. Did this plan pass?
3. Summarize 3 key points of the Great Compromise.
4. Explain the 3/5 Compromise. (be sure to know exactly what this clause is) Then, make a
two-column chart that summarizes the key points of the Delegates from the Southern
States and the Delegates from the Northern States.
5. How did the delegates decide to admit new states into the United States?

Lesson 11 Questions:
1. List and explain 3 ideas the delegates had about legislative power (page 80).
2. List and explain 3 matters that needed to be decided about executive power.
3. Summarize the main points of the plan proposed by the Committee on Postponed
Matters regarding the selection of the president.
4. List and explain 3 features of the judicial branch.
5. What are four examples of shared powers? (List and explain these)

Lesson 12 Questions:
1. Make a two-column chart that shows (1) at least 3 examples of national power held
over the states and (2) at least 4 examples of limits on national power.
2. Know the limits on state power on page 87.Write down several of them.
3. Explain three ways that slavery affected various phrases found in the Constitution.
4. Summarize four issues left unaddressed after the Philadelphia Convention.