Birth of a Nation
Session 4: The Bill of Rights

Materials

• Pieces of poster-size paper
• Markers
• A copy of the Constitution of the United States

Instructional Activities

1. Explain to students that several of the states were reluctant to ratify the Constitution because it did not contain a Bill of Rights. Anti-Federalists, those opposed to a strong central government, such as Thomas Jefferson, feared that the federal government would abuse its power and trample on the rights of citizens. Federalists insisted that the separation of powers and checks and balances included in the Constitution prevented an abuse of power. The Bill of Rights, however, was added to the Constitution to allay the fears of Anti-Federalists. The Bill of Rights, written by James Madison, comprises the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
   
   
2. Divide the class into five groups. Assign each group two of the amendments in the Bill of Rights, and have each group create a poster for each assigned amendment. The pictures can be drawn or cut from a magazine. The posters must include the following:
   •    Explanation of the amendment in the students’ own words
   •    A picture (or pictures) that illustrates the ideas expressed in the amendment
   •    Explanation of why this right is important to our civil liberties
        
3. When the posters are complete, have students share their posters with the class. Stress the important freedoms secured in the Bill of Rights. Discussion at the end of the lesson may include the following:
   •    Why is the Bill of Rights so important?
   •    Do you think the Bill of Rights was necessary, or does the Constitution adequately protect our civil liberties without it?
   •    Why do you think the citizens of the United States were suspicious of a strong central government?
   •    Which of these rights do you think is the most important? Why?
   •    Ask students to rank the three most important rights and explain their choices.