Bill of Rights for Real Life: The Founders The curriculum, The Bill of Rights for Real Life, was made possible by a generous grant from the Cortopassi Institute.
Oct 24, 2014
Bill of Rights for Real Life: The Founders
The curriculum, The Bill of Rights for Real Life, was made possible by a generous grant
from the Cortopassi Institute.
The Bill of Rights for Real Life
•Designed for less academically-inclined high school students
•21 core lesson plans – 8th Grade Reading Level
•Strong literacy/media literacy component
•Research-based best teaching practices
Unit Introduction
Essay 8th grade levelLesson
OverviewStandards Objectives
Materials Lesson Plan Handouts
DVD Introduction Reinforcement Review
Extension Options
Homework Extensions
Real Life Portal
Back of the Book ResourcesAnswer Key (pgs. 205-218) Reading Quizzes (pgs. 221-241)
Landmark Sup. Court Cases (pgs. 245-257) DVD Guides (pgs. 261-266)Glossary (pgs. 269-273)
Educational Resources (pgs. 277-280)Legal Experts & Scholars (pgs 283-289)Parent Letter (p. 290)
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies
8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
“9. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.”
Which of these groups believed the Constitution as it was originally written in 1787 provided for a
strong national government and sufficiently protected individual rights at the same time?
1. Federalists
2. Anti-Federalists
3. Democratic-Republicans
4. Know-Nothings
5. Not sure
Which of these statements would have been made by an Anti-Federalist?
1. “The vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty.”
2. “State legislatures have no security for the powers now presumed to remain to them…”
3. “I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation without having…a power which will pervade the whole Union…”
4. “Repeated violations of these parchment barriers have been committed by overbearing majorities in every State.”
5. Not sure
1. Why did the original writers of the Constitution leave out a bill of rights?
2. What political group demanded a bill of rights?
3. Who wrote the Bill of Rights? Why did he write it?
4. What did Thomas Jefferson say about a bill of rights?
5. Why did James Madison fear that bill of rights might not work?
6. How many Amendments were originally proposed to Congress?
7. Why was the Bill of Rights added at the end of the Constitution?
DVD Viewing Guide Founders Lesson 2 (Pg. 261)
Discussion: Madison feared that a bill of rights would not protect individuals from the abuse of their rights by popular majorities. Can you think of examples of a majority taking away rights from individuals? In the country? In your town? At school? How do you think those rights might be made more secure?
Founders Unit Lesson Plans• Lesson 2, p. 13: Why a Bill of Rights?
What Impact Does it Have?• This lesson explores the debate
between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. – Federalists believed the Constitution
as it was originally written in 1787 provided for a strong national government and protected individual rights at the same time.
– The Anti-Federalists feared a strong central government and insisted that a Bill of Rights be added to the Constitution to protect individual rights.
Founders Unit Lesson Plans• Activities for Lesson 2
– DVD– Background Essay, pp. 15-16…read
and reflect.– Table, p. 17– Venn Diagram, p. 18– Quote classification, p. 19-23.
On what issues did
the Federalists and Anti-
Federalists agree?
Securing Liberty—Debate over the Bill of RightsThe Federalists and Anti-Federalists
James Madison, John Vanderlyn,
1816 Patrick Henry, George B. Matthews,
1883
Federalists Anti-FederalistsBOTH
•Bill of rights not needed
•Constitution creates a LIMITED government
•Specific listing could be dangerous
•Strong central government needed to protect rights
•States have their own declarations of rights
•Did not trust a strong central government
•Some states demanded a bill of rights
•Popular opinion favored a list of rights
• Purpose of government is to
protect rights
• Give some authority to
states, some to national
government
• Foundational (First) Principles:
popular sovereignty,
government by consent, limited
government, property rights, civic virtue...
Learning Stations: Quote Classification
Washington
Sherman
Hamilton
Madison
Jefferson
Working with a partner or two…
• Prepare an answer sheet by numbering
1-8
Mason
• Read the quotes on signs and
classify each quote:
•“Federalist” or
•“Anti-Federalist”
• Identify the author of each quote.
Who said it???? (See p. 19 & jot down your answers)1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Federalist
Federalist
Federalist
Federalist
Anti-Federalist
Anti-Federalist
Anti-Federalist
Anti-Federalist
Washington
Sherman
Hamilton
Madison
Mason
Mason
Mason
Jefferson
Which of these groups believed the Constitution as it was originally written in 1787 provided for a
strong national government and sufficiently protected individual rights at the same time?
1. Federalists
2. Anti-Federalists
3. Democratic-Republicans
4. Know-Nothings
5. Not sure
Which of these statements would have been made by an Anti-Federalist?
1. “The vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty.”
2. “State legislatures have no security for the powers now presumed to remain to them…”
3. “I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation without having…a power which will pervade the whole Union…”
4. “Repeated violations of these parchment barriers have been committed by overbearing majorities in every State.”
5. Not sure
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