Foundations of American Government
Session 9: Amendment Process/Conceptual Connections

Materials

• Textbook
• Two-column notes on the Articles of Confederation (from Session 5)
• “Blank Review Organizer” (Attachment F)

Instructional Activities

1. Select two or three students to review concepts studied in the previous session, using the posted drawings.
   
   
2. Give notes on the procedure for proposing and ratifying an amendment. Have students design a flow chart to illustrate the process of amending the Constitution.
   
   
3. Explain that there have been only 27 formal changes (amendments) to the Constitution. Most changes in the way the government operates have come about through informal means.
   
   
4. Tell students that all of the documents they have studied reflect the language and the intent of fundamental principles of government.
   
   
5. Write the following statement on the blackboard:
   
   Many historians feel the Constitution of the United States was written because the Articles of Confederation did not protect our rights or uphold the fundamental principles our government is based upon.
   
   
6. Ask students to look back over the information in this unit and decide if they agree with the historians. Have them write a paragraph stating their opinion and the reason why. (Help students understand the meaning of the statement without providing answers.)
   
   
7. For homework, distribute blank review organizers (Attachment F) to students. Ask them to complete as much of the information as they can from memory for the next session.