Unit 4: Nation Building/American Civics
Essential Understandings:
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The fundamental ideas and the specific provisions of the U.S. Constitution
that established the nation’s federal system of representative
government.
The major factors leading to the Constitutional Convention:
o The weaknesses of the Articles of the Confederation in resolving
the major problems confronting the emerging nation
o The rising concerns over state governments that were variously
seen as unresponsive to legitimate grievances, abusive of
legislature power and/or unable to control popular attacks on
wealth and privilege.
The principal participants of the Constitutional Convention, the major
issues they debated, and the compromises they reached.
The major arguments of The Federalist Papers and the ratification
debates in the states.
The significant events of the early years of the Republic which established
the following:
o The authority of the national government
o The Bill of Rights
o The two-party system
o The peaceful transition of the government through lawful elections
Part 1: Forming a National Government
A. Philosophical choice – democracy vs republic (government in which
citizens rule through their elected representatives)
a. Self-interest vs virtuous self-sacrifice
b. Past republics: Rome Republic, English Commonwealth, Dutch
Republic – what went wrong with all of these?
B. 1779 – Continental Congress - three Questions facing the new
government:
a. Representation by population or by state?
b. Supreme power – how to divide it?
c. Western lands – who “owns” them?
C. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation – see PPT
D. Constitutional Convention (Philadelphia) – May 1787
a. Participants and interests – 55 delegates (no RI), mainly welleducated, wealthy planters, merchants and lawyers (Ben Franklin,
Geo Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison
b. Main issues and resolutions
E. Central Compromise on the slavery question
F. Main arguments in the ratification debates
a. The Federalists Papers – example: No 10
b. Origins of the two-party system
G. The Bill of Rights
a. Why so controversial?
b. Federalist Paper No 84
Part 2: American Civics
Using the Constitution, we will study the following components of American
government:
1. Federal Government – separate of power / division of power
a. Executive Branch
i. Election
ii. Responsibilities
b. Legislative Branch
i. Election
ii. Responsibilities
c. Judicial Branch
i. Appointed
ii. Responsibilities
2. State Government
3. Local Government
4. Constitutional Amendments
Identifications/Key Concepts:
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Republic
Federalism
States rights
James Madison
Great Compromise
Three-Fifths Compromise
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
The Federalists Papers No 10 and 84
Land Ordinance of 1785
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Shay’s Rebellion
Ratification
Checks and balances
Separation of power
Amendments