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Overview:In the wake of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress found themselves amidst a new era; one that required laws, government, and an economy to compete as a global entity. The Americans knew that what they had achieved was in fact revolutionary, but they did not fully understand the magnitude of their actions. In this unit we will assess the rise and fall of the Articles of Confederation, learn about the early struggles and turmoils of this newly formed nation, and the impact the American Revolution had on the rest of the world. |
Fact Check: Painting HistoryAfter the Declaration of Independence had been signed, a painter by the name of John Trumbull was commissioned to depict what this historic moment looked like. Interestingly, not all that we see in his painting is exactly how things were at the time. How does his painting change the way we view this event? Click on this link to work with the interactive version of Trumbull's painting, and see how he tried to paint his own take on history: |
The Articles of Confederation
"The Articles of Confederation was the first written constitution of the United States. Stemming from wartime urgency, its progress was slowed by fears of central authority and extensive land claims by states before was it was ratified on March 1, 1781. Under these articles, the states remained sovereign and independent, with Congress serving as the last resort on appeal of disputes. Congress was also given the authority to make treaties and alliances, maintain armed forces and coin money. However, the central government lacked the ability to levy taxes and regulate commerce, issues that led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 for the creation of new federal laws." You can continue reading more below:
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What Exactly Were the Articles of Confederation?The newly-formed United States needed to implement a unifying document of laws and regulations. Unfortunately, not all of them worked out the way that the Founding Fathers had predicted. Watch this EdPuzzle video to learn more about the rationale behind these documents and how they attempted to prevent another monarchy in America! |
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National DebtAfter the American Revolution, the United States found themselves completely broke, owing plenty of money to France. By clicking on the link below, you can read more about how this national debt led to tensions across America:
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Shay's RebellionWhen taxes were initiated to ease the national debt, people were affected differently based on their careers and there they lived. In these interactive historic scenes, you can learn more about how these events played out:
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Raid on SpringfieldDaniel Shays led his militia throughout Western Massachusetts to prevent courthouses from foreclosing homes and farms from poor farmers. You can click on the link below to view an interactive map of what took place:
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The Constitutional Convention
When Shay's Rebellion had finally been put down, the American politicians knew that changes needed to take place.The Thirteen Colonies were forced to unite in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms that they had just finished fighting for.
By clicking on the link below, you can read about the rationale behind the convention, learn more about the delegates, and reenact the events that took place during the convention! |
The Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey PlanAt the Constitutional Convention, representatives from each state came together to discuss issues associated with representation. How would the new government decide how many representatives would be given for each state? Would it be entirely on state population? Would each state get the same amount of representation? These questions were debated throughout the summer of 1787, and you can read more about the two proposals in this reading below: |
Watch the Edpuzzle Video here, and write your answers on a piece of paper or on a google/microsoft document. You will need to click [Skip] to move onto the next part of the video |
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The Great Compromise
After debating for months, the members of the Constitutional Convention were met with an opportunity to compromise. Could parts of the Virginia and New Jersey Plans be combined to appease everyone? Would the North and the South come to an agreement on slavery?
Click on the link below from Britannica, and read more on the different areas of the Great Compromise (originally known as the Connecticut Compromise). |