Travel back to 1787 as young scholars investigate the creation of the US Constitution. After first working in small groups to create sets of classroom rules, students go on to read a summary of the Constitution and watch a short video...

Sit back, relax, and transport to 1787! This lesson on the Constitution begins with guided imagery of the Constitutional Convention. The class reads A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution in an...

A single slide provides students with a graphic organizer to fill out about political differences. Categories include state representation, The House, Missouri, and California. Tip: Save this PowerPoint to use as a template for more...

Students read biographies of their assigned Founding Father. They present an oral argument that their assignee deserves to be better known by making connections between regional politics and postions defined by character.

Students examine the structure and function of the United States government established by the Constitution. They also explore the problems the country faced under the Articles of Confederation.

Eighth graders gain a greater understanding of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the issues surrounding the development of our Constitution. They participate in an activity and listen to lecture on the Convention, then search...

Here one can view the five volumes of The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, which were put together by Jonathan Elliot in the mid-1800s. These debates extend from September 1787 to...

Three of the four volumes of Max Farrand's collection of the records of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Called The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, these documents are a critical part of American governmental history.

Read the complete text of the Virginia Plan that proposed a strong central government consisting of three branches. You can also view images of the original drafts.

Provides a good basic introduction to the Constitution. Explains the founding principles, checks and balances, the rationale for it, the accomplishments of the Constitutional Convention, the debate and ratification, the structure of the...

This site is from a unit called 'Writing the US Constitution.' It looks at the documents that preceded the Constitution, and the major issues that were debated while the Constitution was being created.

Learners will consider the arguments made by members of the Continental Congress regarding whether or not to sign the Declaration of Independence. They will also have the opportunity to analyze each section of the Declaration to...