Using Project GLAD strategies, students will be able to analyze the foundations and development of American government in terms of principles and values. 

This Unit is an 11th Grade Unit. It explains how the tensions over power and authority led America’s founding fathers to develop a constitutional democracy.

In this lesson, students will explore the movement of the colonies towards self-government by examining the choices made by the Second Continental Congress, noting how American delegates were influenced by philosophers such as John Locke. Students will participate in an activity in which they assume the role of a Congressional member in the year 1775 and devise a plan for America after the onset of war. This lesson can optionally end with a Socratic Seminar or translation activity on the Declaration of Independence.

Students will learn about the events leading up to the Revolutionary War and develop an understanding of the causes of Patriot resentment of the British. Students will experience emotions similar to those felt by colonists by participating in an experiential activity and represent various opinions of the time by creating a political cartoon focused on a particular event, tax, act, or law.

This resource provides insight on the debates our Founding Fathers had in determining which would be better-local or national governance. Discussion questions are included.

Student learner teams will create and record mock live newscasts, presented as if broadcast live from the signing of the United States Constitution.

This lesson looks at Thomas Paine and at some of the ideas presented in his pamphlet, "Common Sense,"Â such as national unity, natural rights, the illegitimacy of the monarchy and of hereditary aristocracy, and the necessity for independence and the revolutionary struggle.

Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It was first published anonymously on January 10, 1776, during the American Revolution. Paine wrote it with editorial feedback from Benjamin Rush, who came up with the title. The document denounced British rule and, through its immense popularity, contributed to fomenting the American Revolution.

Source: Paine, T. (1776). Common Sense. Philidelphia: W. and T. Bradford.

Students will discuss how different societies answer the same fundamental economic questions by comparing various economic systems. Resources are provided for direction instruction and independent practice. In mixed ability groups, students design role-plays to exemplify each type of economy. Finally, students write a letter to the editor at the Wall Street Journal arguing whether a mixed economy is the economic system that should be used in the United States.

This lesson plan looks at the major ideas in the Declaration of Independence, their origins, the Americans' key grievances against the King and Parliament, their assertion of sovereignty, and the Declaration's process of revision.

The goal of this inquiry is for students to gain an informed, critical perspective on the United States Constitution as it stood at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. By investigating the justness of the Constitution, students examine how the Constitution structures the government, the Constitution’s relationship to slavery, and the extent to which the amendment process makes the government more democratic. Through taking a critical look at the Constitution, students should understand the government the Constitution created and develop an evidence-based perspective that serves as a launching pad for informed action.

Students will explore the question "What is an American" through both historical and modern lenses, discussing how the concept of American identity and the American Dream has evolved over time. Through a power point presentation, class discussion, reading historical and modern interpretations, and completing an art project, students will gain an understanding of the emergence of an American identity.

In this lesson, students will learn the major tenets of the Bayard v. Singleton case in North Carolina and how it established a precedent for the United States Supreme Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison. Students will learn about both cases through guided notes, film clips, and discussion. Students will then compare the cases to one another, illustrating their final understanding by creating a creative and educational rap or Haiku.

In this lesson, students anaylze the primary source Federalist No. 26. There are analysis questions at the end of the lesson and a teacher answer key.

Students explore the Articles of Confederation and the revisions that created the US Constitution of 1787. Students analyze and assume the views of Federalist and Atnti-Federalists by participating in a partner debate over North Carolina's ratification of the US Constitution as either North Carolina Federalist James Iredell or Anti-Federalist Willie Jones. The lesson culminates with students writing and delivering a persuassive speech as a historical Constitutional framer with Federalist or Anti-Federalist views.

Narrated by Bowdoin College Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige, "Founding Principles" provides an introductory overview and basic understanding to American government, but one that is crucial to building citizen-leaders, promoting civic engagement, and working toward the common good.
Chapter One discusses how the American Government was formed in the late 1700s, including the creation of the Constitution.

The purpose of this lesson is to help students identify and evaluate possible causes of revolution by examining the causes of the American Revolution. In this lesson, students will be analyzing and evaluating the tensions over power and authority between the British government and the British colonists. Students will be investigating the world and recognizing perspectives by evaluating the disagreements between the British colonists and the British government . They will also be communicating ideas by analyzing colonial and British documents and describing the tensions between the British government and British colonists. Students will reading primary source documents, thinking about the authors and content of the documents, discussing these ideas with group members, and evaluating these ideas in a written response. This lesson was developed by Dorothy Kerby as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

The purpose of this lesson is to help students gain a deeper understanding of how the United States government was formed, and the people/ideas that influenced the founding documents of the nation. In this lesson, students will evaluate the importance of the Articles of Confederation and identify the weaknesses that caused the delegates at the Constitutional Convention to create a new governing document. Students will be recognizing perspectives and communicating ideas about the Articles of Confederation. This lesson will consist of teacher facilitated notes and discussion opportunities that will prompt group and classroom conversation. This lesson was developed by Dorothy Kerby as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

This lesson explains the steps taken by the First Congress to name a president and vice president, to provide funding for the new government, to draft a bill of rights, and to organize the executive and judicial branches.

In this lesson, students are introduced to Tocqueville's argument about the "omnipotent" power of the majority in America and its consequences. After an initial statement that the "very essence" of democracy is majority rule, he contrasts the means by which state constitutions artificially increase the power of the majority with the U.S. Constitution, which checks that power.