United States Constitution
Session 1: The Articles of Confederation

Materials

• Computer with Internet access (It is recommended to consult the Web site
  <http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/documents/articles/> to gain more information about this topic before teaching it.)
• Class textbook

Instructional Activities

1. Display the following prompt on the board or overhead:
   
   Have you ever been in a situation where the leader of an organization tried to run things like a dictator? Have you even been in a situation where the leader didn’t exert enough control over the organization? What was the result in each of these situations?
   
   After students have had a few minutes to write about their experiences in such situations, let them share their responses with each other in pairs and then share with the whole class.
   
   
2. Tell the students that this was exactly the problem faced by the people of the United States after the Revolution — i.e., people disagreed over how much power the new government should have. Explain that for the next couple of days the class will be examining how the United States was governed immediately after the Revolution and how this experience led to the writing of a new Constitution.
   
   
3. Have the students use their textbooks to take notes on how America was governed during the Revolution and the 1780s. Their notes should include the following points:
   •    The Second Continental Congress drafted the Articles of Confederation in 1777.
   •    The Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781. Two key issues delayed ratification:
   - How each state was going to be represented
   - The disposition of western land claims
   •    The government under the Articles of Confederation had the following characteristics:
   - There was only a legislature — no executive or judicial branch.
   - Nine of the 13 states had to approve legislation for it to take effect.
   - A unanimous vote was required to amend the Articles.
   - The government under the Articles of Confederation had no power to regulate commerce or collect taxes to run the government.
   - Power was retained by the states — the central government had little power to control state actions.
   
   
4. Ask the students to speculate about problems that this form of government might cause in a new nation like the United States.