CORE LET 2
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
Time: (a) 90-minute block with Part 1 and 2 or (b) 45-minute periods with activities for Days 1 and 2
Administrator Lesson Guide:
Lesson Competency: Trace how the American idea of individual rights developed
Linked ELA Common Core: W.9-10. WRITING - W.9-10.10., L.9-10. LANGUAGE - L.9-10.4., L.9-10.4.a., L.9-10.4.d., RH.9-10.
READING: HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES - RH.9-10.3., WHST.9-10. WRITING: HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, &
TECHNICAL SUBJECTS - WHST.9-10.1.a.
Linked JROTC Program Outcomes: Address civic concerns that impact the community and society at large. Appreciate the role of
the military and other service organizations in building a constitutional republic.
Thinking Processes
Core Abilities
Defining in Context - Circle Map* (Alt. = Mind or Concept Map, Sunshine Wheel)
Describing Qualities - Bubble Map* (Alt. = Star Diagram, Brainstorming Web)
Comparing/Contrasting - Double Bubble Map* (Alt. = Venn Diagram)
Classifying - Tree Map* (Alt. = Matrix, KWL, T-Chart, Double T, P-M-I)
Part-Whole - Brace Map* (Alt. = Pie Chart)
Sequencing - Flow Map* (Alt. = Flow Chart, Linear String)
Cause and Effect - Multi-Flow Map* (Alt. = Fishbone)
Build your capacity for life-long learning
Communicate using verbal, non-verbal, visual, and
written techniques
Take responsibility for your actions and choices
Do your share as a good citizen in your school,
community, country, and the world
Treat self and others with respect
Apply critical thinking techniques
Seeing Analogies - Bridge Map* (Alt. = Analogy/Simile Chart)
* Thinking Map
Multiple Intelligences
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Authentic Assessment
Bodily/Kinesthetic
Remember
Observation Checklist
Visual/Spatial
Understand
Portfolio
Logical/Mathematical
Apply
Rubric
Verbal/Linguistic
Analyze
Test and Quizzes
Musical/Rhythmical
Evaluate
Thinking Map®
Naturalist
Interpersonal
Create
Structured Reflection
Intrapersonal
Metacognition
Logs
What?
So What?
Now What?
Performance
Socratic Dialog
E-I-A-G
Graphic Organizer
Notebook Entries
Project
Learning Objectives
Examine how the ideas of classical republicanism
influenced the Founders' ideas of what kind of government
they wanted
Distinguish between classical republicanism and the natural
rights philosophy
Evaluate how the ideas and traditions of historical eras
supported the Founders’ thinking about natural rights and
classical republicanism
Explore how James Madison refined the ideas of classical
republicanism to meet the needs of the new Americans
Define key words: Age of Enlightenment, capitalism,
Christendom, civic virtue, classical republicanism, common
good, established religion, factions, hierarchical, JudeoChristian, Middle Ages, mixed government, nation-state,
papacy, providence, public and private morality,
Reformation, Renaissance, representative democracy,
secular governments
Legend:
 Indicates item is not used in lesson
 Indicates item is used in lesson
Lesson Preview/Setup:
Inquire: Cadets preview the Student Learning Plan. Lead Cadets in a brainstorming session about the features of our government and where the
ideas for those features originated in history. Cadets create a T-Chart about features of government.
Gather: Brief Cadets on natural rights, classical republicanism, and the ideas of James Madison. Distribute Handout #1: Comparing Ideas About
Government. Cadet teams jigsaw their student text on an assigned topic in order to present information to the class.
Process: Cadet teams present their topics to the class and add key points to a class Flow Map or timeline. Brief Cadets on how views of individual
rights have changed over time.
Apply: Distribute the Developing Republican Government Performance Assessment Task. Cadets select an individual or group right and trace its
origins in a Flow Map.
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Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
CORE LET 2
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
Time: (a) 90-minute block with Part 1 and 2 or (b) 45-minute periods with activities for Days 1 and 2
Note: The We the People material has been adapted to better meet the needs of JROTC Cadets. The Learning objectives,
learning activities, assessment tasks, and/or reflection questions in the JROTC documents may differ from the WTP materials.
If possible, encourage Cadets to read the student text prior to class so you have more time to engage Cadets in active and collaborative
learning activities.
Instructor Lesson Plan:
Why is this lesson important?
The Founders were influenced by many ancient thoughts and ideas. From the Roman perspectives of classical
government to the Judeo-Christian traditions of moral obligation, our government began to shape into what
Americans experience and enjoy as privilege today. In this lesson you will explore how the ancient world
influenced republican government and how modern ideas of individual rights developed.
Lesson Question
How did modern ideas of individual rights develop?
What will Cadets accomplish in this lesson?
Lesson Competency
Trace how the American idea of individual rights developed
What will Cadets learn in this lesson?
Learning Objectives
a. Examine how the ideas of classical republicanism influenced the Founders' ideas of what kind of government
they wanted
b. Distinguish between classical republicanism and the natural rights philosophy
c.
Evaluate how the ideas and traditions of historical eras supported the Founders’ thinking about natural rights
and classical republicanism
d. Explore how James Madison refined the ideas of classical republicanism to meet the needs of the new
Americans
e. Define key words: Age of Enlightenment, capitalism, Christendom, civic virtue, classical republicanism,
common good, established religion, factions, hierarchical, Judeo-Christian, Middle Ages, mixed government,
nation-state, papacy, providence, public and private morality, Reformation, Renaissance, representative
democracy, secular governments
When will your Cadets have successfully met this lesson’s purpose?
Performance Standards




by illustrating how an individual right(s) that the Cadets value as an American today can be traced back to
a historic ideal
when their illustration includes the definition of an individual right the Cadets value as an American today
when their illustration shows supporting ideas from points in history that recognized similar individual rights
when their illustration shows historic sequence of supporting ideas from its possible origin to today
NOTES:
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
2
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
Part 1: 45 minutes
Phase 1 -- Inquire:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Make sure Curriculum Manager is installed and the clicker receiver is plugged in. Distribute clickers to
Cadets.
2. Ensure that Cadets have access to the Student Learning Plan.
3. Prepare to show all Inquire Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation and start with the
Focusing Question.
4. Prepare to display the Learning Objectives.
5. Ensure Cadets have their Cadet Notebooks for use throughout this lesson.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about how our
Founders got their ideas about government. The Inquire
Phase of the lesson is to set Cadets up to begin thinking
about what they already know about this subject area.
1. THINK ABOUT how our nation’s Founders
got their ideas about government.
PREPARE for this lesson by discussing
What you will accomplish in this lesson;
What you will learn in this lesson; Why this
lesson is important, and When you will have
successfully met this lesson’s purpose.
Display the Focusing Question on the PowerPoint
Presentation. Allow time for discussion.
Review the Student Learning Plan. Ask Cadets to find the
answers to the following questions on their plans: What will
you accomplish in this lesson; What you will learn in this
lesson; Why the lesson is important; When will you have
successfully met the lesson’s purpose.
Show the learning objectives slide. Remind Cadets that
learning objectives tell them ‘what’ they will learn about in
this 90-minute lesson.
Explain that key words are vocabulary words. They will
appear throughout the lesson. Suggest that Cadets write
down on paper or circle any words that they are not familiar
with. Remind them that you may be checking their
comprehension of the words later in the lesson.
2. Our nation’s Founders borrowed many
ideas from ancient Greece and Rome. With
your class, BRAINSTORM a list of
government features that were borrowed
from those societies and others. If you don’t
know where a feature came from, list it, and
research the source later.
Create a two column T-Chart on the board or chart paper
with one column for Features and another for Sources.
3. REFLECT on the history of governments.
ANSWER the reflection questions presented
by your instructor.
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus Cadet
discussion, reflection on learning, and note taking as you
feel appropriate for your Cadet population.
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Lead Cadets in a brainstorming lesson to list features of our
government and the source or sources of those ideas. For
example, Cadets may know that the ancient Greeks had a
form of democracy. If Cadets don’t know anything about the
sources of some feature, encourage them to take notes and
fill in the gaps as they work through this lesson.

Think of a modern right you value today. What era,
ideal, or culture in history do you imagine that right
derived from?

Why is it important to know where our Founders got
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Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
their ideas about government?
Conclude this phase of learning by summarizing the
purpose of the activity and informing them that they will now
learn some new information about how ideas about
government evolved over time.
Total Time: 15 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Inquire Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Phase 2 -- Gather:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Prepare to show all Gather Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation.
2. Provide access to a student text: Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government (hardbound).
3. Review the WTP Teacher’s Guide (located in the U6C2L2 Resources folder on the Curriculum Manager).
4. Be prepared to brief Cadets about natural rights, classical republicanism, and the ideas of James
Madison using the slides in the presentation.
5. Prepare to distribute Handout #1: Comparing Ideas About Government.
6. Be prepared to launch Reinforcing Questions.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about how
ideas about types of government changed over time.
The Gather Phase introduces Cadets to the learning
objectives by providing new information or content
through the activities provided. Cadets begin to build
on any previous knowledge or experiences.
1. LISTEN TO a briefing that compares natural
rights, classical republicanism, and the ideas of
James Madison. CONSIDER how ideas about
individuals, society, and government changed.
Distribute Handout #1: Comparing Ideas About
Government and brief Cadets about natural rights,
classical republicanism, and the ideas of James
Madison. Prompt Cadets to consider what ideas we
still embrace today and which ones we have rejected.
2. With your team, JIGSAW your student text on
your assigned historical period. PREPARE to
present the key features of that period to the
class.
Divide Cadets into six teams and assign them one of
six topics from the text:

Judeo-Christian Tradition

Middle Ages

Renaissance

Reformation

Nation States

Enlightenment
Direct Cadets to jigsaw the student text to learn more
about each topic and prepare to present it to the class.
Display Reinforcing Question(s).
3. REFLECT on how ideas about society and
government have changed over time. ANSWER
the reflection questions presented by your
instructor.
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus Cadet
discussion, reflection on learning, and note taking as
you feel appropriate for your Cadet population.

Why do you think ideas about individuals,
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Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
society, and government have changed over
time?

Do you think these ideas will change again?
Explain your answer.
Conclude this phase of learning by summarizing the
purpose of the activity(ies) and informing them that
they will now use what they’ve learned to create a
timeline.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Gather Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Part 2: 45 minutes
Phase 3 -- Process:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Prepare to show all Process Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation.
2. Prepare to have Cadets build a timeline or Flow Map on the board.
3. Prepare to brief Cadets on individual rights throughout history.
4. Be prepared to launch Reinforcing Questions.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about which
historic era contributed most to our modern day idea
of individual rights.
This phase of the lesson allows Cadets to practice
using the new skill or knowledge.
1. CREATE a place for your team’s assigned
historical period on a class Flow Map or timeline.
Some team members should be adding to the
Flow Map while other team members BRIEF the
class about what you learned. TAKE NOTES on
the on the presentations of other teams so that
you will learn more about ideas that led up to our
type of government.
Direct Cadet teams to add to a class Flow Map
showing what they learned about their assigned topic.
Call on teams in order, with the teams assigned
Judeo-Christian Tradition first and the Enlightenment
last. One or more team members should brief the
class on what they learned, while other team
members add information to the Flow Map.
2. LISTEN to a briefing about how individual rights
have been viewed at different times in history.
DISCUSS how people in each historical period
might view the rights we have today. For example,
what would someone from the Middle Ages think
about a government that welcomes non-Christian
religions?
Use the slide in the presentation to brief Cadets about
how individual rights were viewed at different times in
history. Prompt Cadets to discuss these ideas by
asking how someone from a period in the past might
view our individual rights today.
3. REFLECT on what it would have been like to live
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Direct Cadets to take notes on all briefings so that
they will learn more about the ideas that led to our
republican form of government.
Display Reinforcing Question(s).
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Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
in one of the periods you learned about. ANSWER
the reflection questions presented by your
instructor.
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
Cadet discussion, reflection on learning, and note
taking as you feel appropriate for your Cadet
population.

How would you answer the following question:
If the rights that prevailed during the Middle
Ages were dominant today, how would they
affect your life?

Would you like to live in any of the historical
periods you learned about? Why or why not?
Conclude this phase of learning by summarizing the
purpose of the activity and informing Cadets that they
will now apply the new knowledge or skill through the
assignment or activity outlined in the performance
assessment task.
Total Time: 25 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Process Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Phase 4 -- Apply:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Prepare to show all Apply Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation.
2. Distribute the Developing Republican Government Performance Assessment Task.
3. Ensure the availability of the student text, history books, and internet for use in the performance
assessment task.
4. Determine how you will review the key words from this lesson.
5. Prepare to use the Digital Timer application in your Curriculum Manager.
6. Prepare to assign the performance assessment task as homework as time necessitates.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about an
individual or group right they greatly value as an
American today.
This phase of learning will help Cadets transfer past
knowledge and experience to new knowledge and
skills introduced and practiced during this lesson.
Prompt Cadets by asking them how this lesson can
be used beyond this classroom experience.
1. COMPLETE the Developing Republican
Government Performance Assessment Task.
SUBMIT your completed performance
assessment task to your instructor for feedback
and a grade.
Distribute the Developing Republican Government
Performance Assessment Task. The performance
assessment task may be completed in class or
assigned as homework, depending on the available
time.
Refer Cadets to the scoring guide for a list of criteria
that should be included in their written summary. This
same criteria on the scoring guide can be used as a
grading checklist too.
Remind Cadets that lesson assessment tasks can be
used as evidence of learning and are solid artifacts to
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
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Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 2: Developing Republican Government
add to their Cadet Portfolios.
2. REVIEW the key words of this lesson.
Key words connect concepts and principles
introduced in the text and learning activities. After
activities are complete, Cadets should be able to
complete a quick check on each word and define it
properly.
Remind Cadets that key words were introduced
throughout various learning activities and should not
be ‘new’ to them.
Instruct Cadets that you are going to see how well
they remember the key word meanings and launch
the automated response slides or one of several
animated games.
Remember to use your digital timer in Curriculum
Manager to set a reasonable time limit for this activity.
3. REFLECT on what you have learned in this lesson
and how you might use it in the future.
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus
Cadet discussion, reflection on learning, and note
taking as you feel appropriate for your Cadet
population.

What one individual or group right do you
value today as an American and why?

Which historic era do you associate that right
with?
Can Cadets answer the Lesson Question now: How
did modern ideas of individual rights develop?
Allow some time for discussion.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Apply Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Homework:
Cadets may need time outside of class to complete the performance assessment task.
In order to compete in the We the People Congressional Competition, student teams are required to pass a
written examination. To better prepare for this examination, it is recommended that Cadets review the lesson
objectives, key words, and be able to answer the lesson subheading questions as homework.
Optional Activities:
The following activities are not used within the Student Learning Plan, but you may find them useful for
enrichment, extra practice, or as homework assignments. The optional activities for this lesson plan include:

Prepare Cadets for a class debate on which historic era idea was the most significant to establishing our
modern day ideals of individual rights. Guidelines for conducting debates on WTP topics are found within
the WTP Teaching Strategies Lesson of the WTP Teacher’s Guide.
Note on Cadet Portfolios:
As Cadets work through the lessons in this chapter, remind them to add completed documents to their Cadet
Portfolio. Portfolios can be arranged by topic, chapter, or LET depending on your requirements. Refer to the
Cadet Portfolio Assessment Task in your JROTC Instructor’s Desk Reference for ideas on setting up and
evaluating Cadet Portfolios.
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
7