The Foundation of American Government, by Henry Hintermeister
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Lesson Plan
The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union
Lesson Overview | Preparation | Procedure | Evaluation
Overview
This lesson focuses on the drafting of the United States Constitution during the Federal Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. Students will analyze an unidentified historical document and draw conclusions about what this document was for, who created it, and why. After the document is identified as George Washington’s annotated copy of the Committee of Style’s draft constitution, students will compare its text to that of an earlier draft by the Committee of Detail to understand the evolution of the final document.
Objectives
While completing this lesson, students will:
- Examine documents as primary sources.
- Analyze and compare drafts.
- Describe the significance of changes to the document’s text.
Time Required
One to two class periods
Recommended Grade Level
Grades 9-12
Topic
Government, Law
Era
The New Nation, 1783-1815
Standards
McREL 4th Edition Standards & Benchmarks
Historical Understanding
- Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective
Language Arts
- Standard 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
US History
- Standard 8. Understands the institutions and practices of government created during the Revolution and how these elements were revised between 1787 and 1815 to create the foundation of American political system based on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights