About Unit 5
💭 Essential Question: How did diverse views on government authority and individual rights from the Revolutionary era to ratification shape the foundations of the Constitution?
Unit 5: First Governments and the Constitution centers on the foundational debates and decisions that shaped the early structure of the United States government. Building from the Revolutionary era, the unit traces how Americans grappled with the challenges of creating a functional national system—one that balanced the need for unity with deep concerns about concentrated power. Students begin by exploring the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. From there, the unit examines the Constitutional Convention then analyze the ratification debates, comparing Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments about how best to preserve liberty, ensure fairness, and prevent tyranny in a stronger national framework. Finally, students investigate how the new government functioned in action by examining early policies and institutions. The unit culminates in two performance tasks: a Socratic seminar focused on Separation of Powers, and a poetic synthesis that invites students to reflect creatively on how conflict, compromise, and evolving ideas shaped the foundations of U.S. government. Throughout the unit, students apply the disciplinary skill of continuity and change over time, tracking how revolutionary ideals persisted, adapted, or were reimagined in the years that followed independence.
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Formatives assessments are a powerful way to measure how your students are progressing towards identified learning objectives (Additional Video).
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