Students will analyze a letter from President George Washington to the Governor of North Carolina regarding the state"™s stance on the new Constitution. They will then participate in a mock convention/debate to better understand the issues involved in ratifying the document. Finally the students will pretend they were at the Constitutional Convention as a reporter. The culminating activity will require the students to create a newspaper reporting on the various viewpoints of the Convention in a time-accurate periodical.

This lesson explores the Federalist Papers. First, students engage in a discussion about how they get information about current issues. Next, they read a short history of the Federalist Papers
and work in small groups to closely examine the text. Then, each small group presents its ideas to the class as a catalyst for further, large-group discussion. Finally, students work in small groups to research a Federalist or Anti-Federalist and role-play this person in a classroom debate on the adoption of the Constitution. Writing activities follow that allow students to use their understanding of the history and significance of the Federalist Papers.

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Great Compromise using various sources related to its adoption. The Great Compromise was the pivotal breakthrough of the 1787 Constitutional Convention. By investigating the compelling question, students examine the structure of government under the Articles of Confederation, investigate two proposals (Virgina and New Jersey plans for a new arrangement, and analyze the role of the Connecticut Plan and the Great Compromise in the development of the United States Constitution. By completing this inquiry, students will begin to understand the importance of compromise in democracies.

In this lesson, students will learn how the North Carolina Constitution is relevant in today’s world. They will view and take guided notes from a Power Point that explains the changes made to the state Constitution since its ratification in 1776, helping students understand that the state Constitution is a “living document” and that is can be updated to reflect the times while keeping its core principals the same. Students will then complete a “Comparing Constitutions Scavenger Hunt” where they will examine the NC and US Constitutions and compare the differences and similarities. The lesson culminates in a “You Be the NC Supreme Court Justice” activity where students examine a scenario and determine its constitutionality.

In this lesson, students will learn about the road to the American Revolution through a living timeline activity highlighting British actions and American reactions. After understanding the origins of the Revolution, students will independently research major military engagements of the War. Finally, students will be responsible for teaching their classmates what they have learned about the American Revolution.

In this lesson, students will reflect on the principles upon which this nation was founded as well as the major events that have shaped this nation to address the question: to what extent have the American people lived up to the principles of the American political system? Students will assign the nation a grade based on their perceptions of the degree to which the people of the United States have lived up to their nation's founding principles.

In this lesson, students will receive an introduction/overview of the US Constitution through reading, an optional Power Point presentation and class discussion. Focusing on the underlying principles of the US Constitution, students will create public service announcements on the Constitution, its relevance, and the principle assigned to their group. In presenting their PSAs to classmates, students will review and learn additional details regarding how the US Constitution defines the framework and organization of our national government.

This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 8th Grade Social Studies. 

This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 8th Grade Social Studies.

In this lesson, students are introduced to the office of President by discussing the qualifications necessary for serving in the office, as well as the roles and powers of the President as prescribed by the U.S. Constitution. Students will exercise these roles and powers themselves by assuming the position of President of the United States of America.

Explore 14,000 years of history from the NC Museum of History' exhibit, The Story of North Carolina in 360°—one gallery at a time. Designed with the student experience in mind, each tour features artifacts, photos, & videos.

In this lesson, students will learn strategies and activities for learning about economics, civics and government, and U.S. history text through reading, taking notes, and composing a response about capitalism through a claims and evidence based approach.

This lesson engages students in a study of the Constitution to learn the significance of "Six Big Ideas" contained in it. Students analyze the text of the Constitution in a variety of ways, examine primary sources to identify their relationship to its central ideas and debate the core constitutional principles as they relate to today's political issues.

In this lesson, students will examine the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution.

In this lesson, students explain the meaning of the Preamble to the Constitution in their own words.

In this lesson, students compare and contrast the similarities and differences of the three branches of government and understand how the new Constitution solved weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation government.

During the American Revolution, the colonists formally Interactive 1.2 Too Late To Apologize declared themselves free from the British with the Declaration of Independence. You learned about the Revolutionary War in fifth grade, and are free to download the fifth grade version of this resource for further review. The Revolutionary War was winding down when the colonists began work on a new government for the nation. The Continental Congress created the Articles of Confederation and sent them to the states to ratify on November 15, 1777. The Articles of Confederation served as the foundation document of the nation’s first form of government from March 1, 1781 to 1789.

In this lesson, students identify and analyze folktales. They learn the characteristics of folktales and use them to evaluate existing tales and to create original tales of their own. Students apply the writing process to strengthen writing skills and to develop creativity.