Lesson 3: The Roots of American Democracy Unit 1: Foundations of American Government Lesson 3: The Roots of American Democracy

Preview Take the “Greece, Rome, or Home Challenge.” Examine the photographs of buildings from ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and Washington, D.C. Identify each as “ancient” or “United States.”

Preview Photo A Photo B Washington, D.C. Supreme Court Athens: Parthenon

Preview Photo C Photo D Washington, D.C. Department of Treasury Rome: Pantheon

Preview Photo E Photo F Washington, D.C. Jefferson Memorial Capitol Building

Preview Respond to the prompts: What do you notice about the architectural style of buildings in Washington, D.C.? What ideas about government might the ancients Greeks and Romans have contributed to the world? From where else do you think the United States got ideas about government?

Preview In this lesson, you will identify ideas and events that shaped American government.

Preview Include these terms in the Political Dictionary: limited government representative government ordered government Declaration of Independence Articles of Confederation framers U.S. Constitution “Bundle of Compromises” Federalists Anti-Federalists

Preview Consider possible answers to the following Essential Question: What ideas gave birth to the world’s first modern democratic nation?

Preview Read Chapter 2.1: Our Political Beginnings. Respond to the prompts: Complete the table: Political Ideas Explanation   Ordered Government Limited Government Representative Government

Preview Basic Concepts of Government ordered: governments should regulate relationships of people limited: government is restricted in what it may do and not take away rights of people representative: government should serve the will of the people

Preview Read Chapter 2.1: Our Political Beginnings. Respond to the prompts: Complete the table: Landmark Documents Explanation   Magna Carta Petition of Right English Bill of Rights

Preview Landmark English Documents Magna Carta: Great Charter established power of monarchy not absolute in 1215 Petition of Right: Challenged the divine right of Kings and established monarchy is subject to rule of law in 1628 English Bill of Rights: guaranteed basic individual freedoms in 1689

Preview Read Chapter 2.3: The Critical Period. Respond to the prompts: What were the Articles of Confederation? What were the main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? What did the weaknesses mean for the national government?

Preview The Articles of Confederation was a plan of government adopted by the Continental Congress after the American Revolution. The main weakness of the Articles was that it established a “league of friendship” among States that granted too few powers to the central government: taxation, commerce, no chief executive, no national court system, etc. The national government lacked authority, which resulted in a weak union.

Preview Read Chapter 2.4: Creating the Constitution. Respond to the prompts: Why is the Constitution referred to as “a bundle of compromises?” Explain how each compromise resolved conflict at the Constitutional Convention: Connecticut Compromise Three-Fifths Compromise Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

Preview The Constitution is often referred to as “a bundle of compromises,” because it required resolving differences of opinion among the delegates who were representing the interests of their States.

Preview Connecticut Compromise: an agreement that resolved dispute over representation in Congress combined basic features of Virginia and New Jersey Plans U.S. Senate: States represented equally. U.S. House: representation based on size of each State’s population.

Preview Three-Fifths Compromise: an agreement that resolved debate over whether slaves should be counted in the population of southern States the resolution allowed slaves to be counted as three-fifths of a person.

Preview Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise: an agreement that protected the commercial interests of southern States The resolution forbade Congress the power to tax the export of goods from any State and act on the slave trade for a period of 20 years.

Preview Read Chapter 2.5: Ratifying the Constitution. Respond to the prompt: Complete the T-chart: Federalists Anti-Federalists

Preview Federalists: led by Alexander Hamilton supported ratification of the Constitution citing weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Anti-Federalists: led by Thomas Jefferson opposed ratification of the Constitution due to fears of a strong central government.

Preview Read Chapter 2.5: Ratifying the Constitution. Respond to the prompt: How was the debate over the ratification of the Constitution resolved? The adoption of the Bill of Rights

Interviews of Historical Figures Activity Interviews of Historical Figures You will bring to life a statue of a historical figure who influenced the development of democratic government in the United States. U.S. Capitol: National Statuary Hall

Processing Respond to the prompt: Write three journal entries from the perspective of a delegate to the Constitutional Convention related to these matters. Which idea most influenced you in the development of the Constitution? Where did the idea come from? What was the greatest challenge in developing the Constitution? How was the challenge resolved? Do you think the States should ratify the Constitution? Why or why not?