Articles of Confederation vs Constitution

​AMERICA'S FIRST GOVERNMENT: SUCCESS OR FAILURE?

By Isiah Jones

Open Ended

According to this timeline, which event proved that the Articles of Confederation were weak?

Open Ended

According to the information provided in this timeline, make an inference as to whether or not the following statement is true or false: The US Constitution provided America with a stronger government than the Articles of Confederation.

OBJECTIVES & STANDARDS

🎯 TODAY'S OBJECTIVE:
SWBAT construct an argument advocating for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution by analyzing the structural weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the corresponding strengths of the Constitution, using textual evidence to support their claims.

📚 STANDARDS:

• NJSLS: 6.2.12.CivicsPI.3.a (Assess the effectiveness of the Articles of Confederation)

• Common Core: RH.9-10.1 (Cite specific textual evidence)

📝 EXIT TICKET:
Write Federalist Paper #86 arguing for the Constitution's superiority over the Articles

​Comparing Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution Directions:

​Directions: Compare the Articles of Confederation and US Constitution by reading six different excerpts and answering the analysis questions that follow. 

Open Ended

Close Reading: What does the phrase “firm league of friendship” (ln. 10) suggest to you about the relationship that states in the union will have with one another under the Articles of Confederation?

Open Ended

Analysis: Which document seems to emphasize the individual power of states? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.

Open Ended

Analysis: Which document seems to emphasize a unified national identity? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.

TABLE ASSIGNMENTS - BECOME EXPERTS!

TABLE 1 & 6: STRUCTURE OF CONGRESS

• Focus: Unicameral vs. Bicameral legislature

• Key Question: How does representation differ?

TABLE 2: EXECUTIVE & JUDICIAL BRANCHES

• Focus: No branches vs. President & Supreme Court

• Key Question: Why are separate branches important?

TABLE 3: TAXATION POWER

• Focus: States collect vs. Congress collects taxes

• Key Question: Which system funds government effectively?

TABLE 4: AMENDMENT PROCESS

• Focus: Unanimous vs. 3/4 approval

• Key Question: Which allows necessary changes?

TABLE 5: BILL OF RIGHTS

• Focus: No rights protection vs. explicit rights

• Key Question: Why protect individual rights?

EXPERT GROUP SUCCESS CRITERIA

YOUR EXPERT MISSION:

1. READ your assigned document section

2. COMPLETE analysis questions for your topic

3. IDENTIFY the key Constitutional improvement

4. PREPARE 2-minute summary to teach the class using a google slide

EXPECTATIONS:

• Every group member participates

• Cite specific text evidence

• Connect to our "Defining the Union" comparison

TIME: 20 minutes

TABLE 1: STRUCTURE OF CONGRESS

• Focus: Unicameral vs. Bicameral legislature

• Key Question: How does representation differ?

TABLE 2: EXECUTIVE & JUDICIAL BRANCHES

• Focus: No branches vs. President & Supreme Court

• Key Question: Why are separate branches important?

TABLE 3: TAXATION POWER

• Focus: States collect vs. Congress collects taxes

• Key Question: Which system funds government effectively?

TABLE 4: AMENDMENT PROCESS

• Focus: Unanimous vs. 3/4 approval

• Key Question: Which allows necessary changes?

TABLE 5: BILL OF RIGHTS

• Focus: No rights protection vs. explicit rights

• Key Question: Why protect individual rights?

SHARE OUT - BUILDING OUR MASTER CHART

SHARE OUT ORDER:

1. Table 1: Structure of Congress

2. Table 2: Executive & Judicial Branches

3. Table 3: Taxation Power

4. Table 4: Amendment Process

5. Table 5: Bill of Rights

EACH GROUP:

• State your key finding

• Provide text evidence

• Explain the improvement

Multiple Choice

The shift from "firm league of friendship" (Articles) to "more perfect Union" (Constitution) represents a change from:

• A) Democracy to monarchy

• B) Confederation to federation

• C) Capitalism to socialism

• D) Isolationism to internationalism

Multiple Choice

Based on today's comparisons, which Constitutional improvement would be MOST convincing to someone worried about government tyranny?

• Federal taxation power

• Strong executive branch

• Explicit Bill of Rights

• Bicameral legislature

Multiple Choice

Which problem under the Articles was solved by creating a President?

• No leader to enforce laws

• Inability to amend the government

• No national court system

• Unequal state representation