Description of lesson/activity
1. identify challenges to the government of the young nation.
2. explain how these challenges were resolved.
3. describe how the challenges led to broadened interpretations of the Constitution.
4. gather information from texts and other resources.
5. use critical thinking to solve a problem.
1. In Question/Problem 4 students learned about the structure of the government created by the Constitution. In this lesson, students will identify challenges facing the new government and explain how new interpretations of the Constitution helped to resolve the problems.
2. The teacher should introduce the lesson by describing the historical context of the period. For instance, the United States was still a young nation. It had a new government and some Americans still opposed it. It was unclear what would happen.
3. The teacher should distribute the accompanying "Challenges to the Government: Student Worksheet." On the Worksheet five problems facing the nation are described. Students, as individuals or in groups, should gather information from the textbooks and other resources on the problems. They are asked to explain how the challenges were resolved and how interpretations of the Constitution were broadened. See the accompanying "Teacher Guide" for suggested answers. Teachers may wish to assess the research and critical thinking skills of the students.
4. As a concluding activity for this lesson, the teacher should hold a discussion on the durability of the Constitution. The focus should be on the five events from the "Challenges to Government" Worksheet, but discussion of current issues involving interpretation of the Constitution would also be enlightening.
Resource 1: Challenges to the Government: Student Worksheet
Resource 2: Challenges to the Government: Teacher Guide