1. Vocabulary activity: Bell Ringer
Democratic- Relating to or supporting democracy or its principles
Amendment - A minor change in a document
Article - A separate clause or paragraph of a legal document or agreement, typically one outlining a single rule or regulation
Constitution - A body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.

2. Guiding Question:
“To what extent did the amendments play within developing the Constitution”?

3. Overview:
Use reasoning to answer the question. Reasoning is a justification using prior knowledge in your response.
“Should we use today’s standards to assess those leaders (at the convention), or the standards of the time in which they lived?”

4. Overview:
  “First you have to understand the time in which they lived. There was no simpler time, ever. There was no easier time, ever. Unless you understand what it was like to go through the Civil War, what the influenza epidemic of 1918 was like, you have no appreciation of that. History should be a lesson that produces immense gratitude for all those who went before us. To be ignorant of their contribution is rude. And for anyone in public life to brag about how they don’t know any history — and don’t care to know any history — is irresponsible.”
David McCoullogh

5. Developing a Constitution
A Brief Review of prior Knowledge

6. The Convention
The Constitutional Convention convened to debate and establish a new system of government.
The goal of this convention was two fold:
Secure the Rights of citizens
Establish a government that would suit this country better than the Articles of Confederation

7. Guiding Question:
“Why was the presidency a divisive issue and how was it resolved?”

8. English Bill of Rights vs. American Bill of Rights
Limits the powers of the king
Protected rights that considered “privileges”, come as gifts from the King
American Bill of Rights
Protects liberties against abuse of power by government
Rights such as: life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are unalienable rights

9. “United, We Stand-Divided, We Fall.”
Source: Library of Congress; United We Stand & Divided We Fall; image

10. Comparing: Bill of Rights - English Bill of Rights
You will need to locate your copy of the English Bill of Rights
You will be provided with a copy of the Bill of Rights (Amendments 1- 10)
Read and annotate each text focusing on how political, economic, and social implications played a part of each amendment. As you annotate, you should note comparison/contrasts between the documents. This will assist in completing the similarities/differences graphic organizer.

11. Pair Share Activity
Work with a Chair Partner to identify similarities and differences using the graphic organizer provided.
Using the annotations, distinguish between personal, political, and economic rights.

12. Formative Assessment (Developing a Claim):
“To what extent did the amendments play within developing the Constitution?”
Exit Ticket (Minor Quiz Grade)
Write a one paragraph answer to the above question.

13. Analyzing Source 2 - Excerpt from Debates in the First Congress by James Madison
Develop GIST (summary) statements for each paragraph.
Remember to limit the amount of words you use to determine the holistic meaning of each paragraph.

14. Pair Share Activity
Work with a Student Choice Partner to answer the following questions:
What does Madison say is the main difference between the English Bill of Rights and what proponents of a US Bill of Rights propose?
What is Madison arguing in the last paragraph?

15. Class Discussion
How did the English Bill of Rights contribute to the development of our current Bill of Rights?
Cite evidence from the text.