Sessions

 

Session 1: The Confederation Period

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define republic, inflation, arsenal, territory and ordinance.

Students will describe what happened when Congress tried to print money to raise funds.

Students will explain why Daniel Shays and other farmers rebelled against the government.

Students will identify which ordinance set up a plan for governing the Northwest Territory.

Students will explain why James Madison and others wanted a stronger central government.

HOMEWORK: 

Imagine that you are living in Massachusetts during the time of Shays' Rebellion. Write a letter expressing your opinion about the unrest.Be prepared to share your letter with the class in the next session. 

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Session 2: The Constitutional Convention

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define convention, commerce, federal system and bill.

Students will share their letters with the class. 

Students will describe the decision the delegates reached at the Annapolis Convention.

Students will identify who James Madison was and why he was important to American history.

Students will identify who was elected president of the convention. 

Students will describe how power to govern is shared in a federal system.

Students will identify the idea that was called the Great Compromise.

HOMEWORK: 

Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter in 1787. Write a brief news story about the Constitutional Convention. Be ready to share your news report with the class in the next session.

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Session 3: Three Branches of Government

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define census, electoral college, veto, impeach, justice, checks and balances.

Students will share their news report with the class. 

Students will explain why Gouverneur Morris changed the wording in the Preamble to the Constitution. 

Students will describe the main responsibilities of Congress. 

Students will describe the President's main responsibility. 

Students will describe the duties of the federal courts.

Students will describe the system of checks and balances outlined in the Constitution.

Students will examine a flow chart to learn how a bill becomes a law.

HOMEWORK: 

Draw a large triangle on a sheet of paper. On each point of the triangle, write the name of one branch of the federal government. Beside each name, write what that  branch does and who or what is the head of it. Add a title to your chart. Be ready to present your chart to the class in the next session. 

 

Session 4: Approval and the Bill of Rights

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define ratify, Federalist, Anti-Federalist, amendment, Magna Carta, due process of law and reserved powers.

Students will share their chart with the class. 

Students will explain what would adding a bill of rights to the Constitution do.

Students will examine the viewpoints of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist.

Students will identify the group that group that favored the Constitution and wanted a strong national government.

Students will explain why the Bill of Rights is an important part of the Constitution. 

Students will describe how to act as a responsible citizen.

HOMEWORK: 

Think of an amendment you would like to see added to the Constitution. Write a letter to one of your state representatives explaining your idea and telling why you think it would benefit citizens. Be prepared to share your letter with the class in the next session. 

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Session 5: The New Government Begins

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define Cabinet, political party and candidate. 

Students will share their letter with the class. 

Students will identify who were members of George Washington's cabinet. 

Students will identify Benjamin Banneker was and why he was important to American history. 

Students will identify the two political parties that formed as result of disagreements between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.

Students will explain why did John Adam's taking the oath of office mark an important day. 

HOMEWORK:

Make a chart that shows what the Federalist party and the Democratic - Republican party believed in. Be prepared to share your chart with the class. 

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Session 6: The Louisiana Purchase

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define inauguration, pathfinder and trespass.

Students will share their chart with the class. 

Students will explain why why Jefferson wanted to buy the land along the east bank of the Mississippi. 

Students will identify who Lewis and Clark and why they were important to American history.

Students will explain why Spanish soldiers put Captain Zebulon Pike and the rest of his explorers in jail. 

HOMEWORK:

Imagine you have been chosen to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Draw a map of the United States that shows the Louisiana Purchase. Then trace a route through the territory that shows the areas you would like to explore. Be ready to share your route to the class in the next session. 

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Session 7: The War of 1812

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define impressment, war hawk, national anthem, siege, nationalism, annex and doctrine.

Students will share their route with the class. 

Students will identify the victory that allowed General Harrison to lead his troops into Canada. 

Students will describe what inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star - Spangled Banner"

Students will describe what President Monroe did to stop the growth of European colonies in the Americas. 

HOMEWORK:

Research the War of 1812 on the internet to gain more information about it. Be prepared to share your findings with the class in the next session.

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Session 8: The Age of Jackson

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define democracy and ruling.

Students will share their findings with the class. 

Students will explain who the government changed once all white men could vote. 

Students will describe how Andrew Jackson differed from earlier Presidents of the United States.

Students will describe how the wary in which the Cherokee fought the loss of their land is different from that of other Indian tribes. 

Students will identify who John Audubon was and why he was important to American history. 

HOMEWORK:

Research the life of Andrew Jackson and create his biography. Be prepared to share your biography with the class in the next session.

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Session 9: From Ocean to Ocean

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define manifest destiny, dictator, cession, gold rush and forty-niner.

Students will share their biography with the class. 

Students will identify when Texas became a republic. 

Students will describe where the Oregon Trail began.

Students will identify who Narcissa Prentiss Whitman was and why she was important to American history.

Students will describe what was one of the first things the Mormons did once they settled in the Great Basin.

Students will explain how the United States benefited from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Students will explain why gold seekers in California called themselves forty-niners.

Students will use maps to examine how borders have changed throughout history in the United States.

HOMEWORK:

Imagine that you are going to travel on the Oregon Trail.  Make a list of items that you will take on your journey. Be prepared to share your list with the class in the next session.

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Session 10: An Industrial Revolution

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define:

industrial revolution, investor, textile, interchangeable parts, mass production, supply, cotton gin, demand and patent .

Students will share their list with the class. 

Students will explain why the National Road was important. 

Students will explain why the Erie Canal was built.

Students will describe how steam engines affected transportation methods in the United States.

Students will explain how Lowell's system of organizing factories was different from other systems.

Students will describe how Cyrus McCormick's mechanical reaper helped farmers.

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