The Path to Democracy
"All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions." - John Locke
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it..." -Thomas Jefferson
“What makes us exceptional -- what makes us American -- is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' Today we continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time.” -Barack Obama
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it..." -Thomas Jefferson
“What makes us exceptional -- what makes us American -- is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' Today we continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time.” -Barack Obama
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TASK 1
Learning Goal: 1) The student will understand how Enlightenment ideas influenced the thinking of our nation’s Founders. TASK 2
Learning Goal: The student will be able to analyze how the ideas of the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights and the Mayflower Compact influenced the ideas of the Articles of Confederation and later the U.S. Constitution. TASK 3
Learning Goal: The student will understand how the colonial response to English policies led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. TASK 4
Learning Goal: Students will understand the ideas and grievances set forth in the Declaration of Independence. |
Benchmarks:
SS.7.C.1.1 Content Complexity: Level 2/Skills and Concepts Recognize how Enlightenment ideas including Montesquieu's view of separation of power and John Locke's theories related to natural law and how Locke's social contract influenced the Founding Fathers. SS.7.C.1.2 Content Complexity: Level 2/Skills and Concepts Trace the impact that the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact, and Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" had on colonists' views of government. SS.7.C.1.9 Content Complexity: Level 1/Recall and Reproduction Define the rule of law and recognize its influence on the development of the American legal, political, and governmental systems. SS.7.C.1.3 Content Complexity: Level 2/Skills and Concepts Describe how English policies and responses to colonial concerns led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. SS.7.C.1.4 Content Complexity: Level 3/Strategic Thinking-Reasoning Analyze the ideas (natural rights, role of the government) and complaints set forth in the Declaration of Independence. |
Introduction Questions:
1.What are some possible reasons why people form into governments in the first place?
2.What are some downsides of forming into a government?
2.What are some downsides of forming into a government?
American democracy didn't just spring up on its own...
Many historical influences contributed in developing the government we have today.
Many historical influences contributed in developing the government we have today.
Task 1: Enlightenment Philosophy
Key Terms:
•Enlightenment - a period in European history when education and reasoning led to new ideas about government and society.
•Natural rights - the belief that individuals are born with basic rights that cannot be taken away by governments.
•Social contract - an implied agreement between people and their government. You give up your perfect freedom and agree to set up a limited government and follow its rules in exchange for that government to protect your natural rights.
•Separation of powers - Our U.S. Constitution sets up three branches with their own limited powers and responsibilities.
•Checks and balances - In the U.S. Constitution, each branch of government is able to limit/check the power of the other branches.
•Founding Fathers: representatives from each of the 13 colonies who participated in writing the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. (influenced by Enlightenment philosophers/thinkers)
•Natural rights - the belief that individuals are born with basic rights that cannot be taken away by governments.
•Social contract - an implied agreement between people and their government. You give up your perfect freedom and agree to set up a limited government and follow its rules in exchange for that government to protect your natural rights.
•Separation of powers - Our U.S. Constitution sets up three branches with their own limited powers and responsibilities.
•Checks and balances - In the U.S. Constitution, each branch of government is able to limit/check the power of the other branches.
•Founding Fathers: representatives from each of the 13 colonies who participated in writing the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. (influenced by Enlightenment philosophers/thinkers)
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Directions:
Step 1: Students will go through the powerpoint to the right in class titled "Enlightenment NOTES." The powerpoint includes notes (like key terms above) and group/class discussion questions. |
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Step 2: In class, students will group the "Enlightenment images" attached to the right with the correct enlightenment philosopher. (Locke or Montesquieu) There are a total of 10 images and key terms, so there will be a total of 5 images/terms for each group/philosopher.
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Step 3: Choose ONE of the following ways to assess your understanding.
Step 4: Take the eCampus quiz when finished and work on your study guide.
- Write a paragraph response using evidence from your terms and the images to address the following prompt: "Summarize Locke's and Montesquieu's views and how they impacted the founding fathers in making our American government."
- Create a political cartoon that incorporates evidence and summarizes Locke's and Montesquieu's views and how they impacted the founding fathers in making our American government.
- Create a T-chart with points that use evidence to summarize Locke's and Montesquieu's views and how they impacted the founding fathers in making our American government.
- Create a poem/rap that incorporates evidence and summarizes Locke's and Montesquieu's views and how they impacted the founding fathers in making our American government.
Step 4: Take the eCampus quiz when finished and work on your study guide.
Task 2: Influential Documents leading to Democracy
Key terms below also found in "What's the Big IDEA?" notes.
Rule of Law: All people must follow the laws, (including our representatives in government) and the laws should be enforced fairly.
Self Government: A popular or representative system where the people create and run their own government.
Due Process: Your government owes you a certain process before they take away your freedoms. (like a trial by jury)
Limited Government: A government that has been limited in power by a constitution, or written agreement.
Rights: A set of things that people believe they should be free to do without restrictions.
Directions:
Step 1: Take notes of key terms from the "What's the Big IDEA?" powerpoint in class. (attached below)
Step 2: Fill in the "Graphic Organizer" below using the "What's the Big IDEA" powerpoint. For each document, draw a picture that summarizes its significance and write down which "Big ideas" match best.
Rule of Law: All people must follow the laws, (including our representatives in government) and the laws should be enforced fairly.
Self Government: A popular or representative system where the people create and run their own government.
Due Process: Your government owes you a certain process before they take away your freedoms. (like a trial by jury)
Limited Government: A government that has been limited in power by a constitution, or written agreement.
Rights: A set of things that people believe they should be free to do without restrictions.
Directions:
Step 1: Take notes of key terms from the "What's the Big IDEA?" powerpoint in class. (attached below)
Step 2: Fill in the "Graphic Organizer" below using the "What's the Big IDEA" powerpoint. For each document, draw a picture that summarizes its significance and write down which "Big ideas" match best.
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Step 3: Use the “Big IDEAS handouts” at your table to follow the following steps:
-Match up each primary/secondary source set (4 total) with the influential document/big ideas combination (4 total) that best fits.
-Be ready to use evidence from the sources to explain your choices at your table with your classmates.
-Match up each primary/secondary source set (4 total) with the influential document/big ideas combination (4 total) that best fits.
-Be ready to use evidence from the sources to explain your choices at your table with your classmates.
| Big IDEAS handouts |
Step 4: Choose ONE of the following ways to assess your understanding.
- Write a paragraph response using evidence from your terms and the images to address the following prompt: "Summarize how AT LEAST TWO key influential documents and "big ideas" found in them influenced the making of our American government."
- Create a political cartoon that incorporates evidence and summarizes how AT LEAST TWO key influential documents and "big ideas" found in them influenced the making of our American government.
- Compare and contrast two influential documents (Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Common Sense) with evidence to show how their impact on American government was similar and how it was different.
- Create a poem/rap that incorporates evidence and summarizes how AT LEAST TWO key influential documents and "big ideas" found in them influenced the making of our American government.
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Extension:
How an Iroquois Chief Helped Write the U.S. Constitution
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CLICK HERE to read an article about Iroquois Chief Canasatego and how he influenced our founding fathers in the writing of our Constitution. Then, answer the following questions:
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEAST
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OR
CLICK HERE to play a game that can help you preview the next part of our Path to Democracy Unit. Then, summarize what you learned from the experience.
OR
Create your OWN Task!
Directions:
- Find a resource (or create a resource) that can be used to learn about our current unit of study that connects to the learning goal. It can be historical (from the past) or in current events (the present). Examples include a news/feature article, video, political cartoon, primary source images/photos, etc
- Create directions for an activity that will prove your understanding of this source and how it connects to the learning goal.
- Check with me to approve your activity, and then complete it.
Task 3: English Policies Timeline (events leading to Independence)
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Directions:
Step 1: Go through the powerpoint attached to the right titled "English Policies leading to Independence" and create an illustrated timeline. For each event leading to the Declaration of Independence, students will do the following on their timeline: 1. Label the event/act 2. Draw a picture summarizing the event/act's significance 3. Provide a date for the event/act |
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Step 2: On pages 5-8 in your 2nd Quarter study guide, there are 9 EVENTS from your timeline that are numbered.
Use your ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE notes to MATCH each EVENT with the correct LETTER/TERM (A-I) that describes it.
Use your ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE notes to MATCH each EVENT with the correct LETTER/TERM (A-I) that describes it.
Task 4: The Declaration of Independence
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Directions:
Step 1: Answer the following questions as you watch the video: 1. While you are watching the video, write down all the important historical events in the video that we have talked about in class. 2. Who was the main character/singer in the video? (Why is this person significant?) 3. What are some things stated that it was "too late to apologize" for? (think back to your English Policies Timeline) 4. What person or group of people were the men at the table referring to? |
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Step 2: Read through attached file titled "Breaking down the breakup." You'll match parts of the first 2 sections of the Declaration of Independence to a SIMPLER version by using ideas found in Task 1 (Enlightenment) and Task 2 (Influential Documents). THIS IS ON PAGE 9 IN YOUR 2nd Quarter STUDY GUIDE.
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Step 3: On pages 9-12 in your 2nd Quarter Study Guide…MATCH up each idea and grievance/complaint in the Declaration of Independence (numbered 1-8) with the IMAGES you think fits best (letters A-H) Then, explain why you picked the image you did to match up with each quote.
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Step 4: If you've gotten this far...you've unlocked the secret assignment! Ask me for it in class and write your responses in your spiral notebook. Be sure to use evidence to explain your answers.
Step 5: Choose ONE of the following ways to assess your understanding.
Step 6: Take the "Events leading to and Declaration" quiz on eCampus.
- Write a two paragraph response using evidence from your timeline and the grievances in the DOI to address the following prompt: "Which grievance in the Declaration of Independence do you think is the most significant? Do you think the colonists were justified in writing the Declaration of Independence? Why or why not?"
- Create a political cartoon that incorporates evidence from the timeline and the grievances in the DOI. The cartoon should either explain how English policies led to the DOI, criticize either the British or the Colonists for one of the events on our timeline/grievance that matches, or support the British or the Colonists for one of the events on our timeline/grievances that match.
- Create a poem/rap that incorporates evidence from the timeline and the grievances in the DOI. The poem/rap should either explain how English policies led to the DOI, criticize either the British or the Colonists for one of the events on our timeline/grievance that matches, or support the British or the Colonists for one of the events on our timeline/grievances that match.
Step 6: Take the "Events leading to and Declaration" quiz on eCampus.
Task 5: "Declaring Independence" around the World
"The ideas within the Declaration of Independence did not appear out of thin air, but they were in the air. Thomas Jefferson drew upon the Enlightenment ideas of British thinkers such as John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Closer to home, Jefferson was influenced by the writings of Thomas Paine and the dozens of declarations issued by towns, counties, colonial governments, and even public and private organizations in the years leading up to July 4, 1776.
In the years following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, countries around the world used the basic American model of declaring independence, asking for, or in some cases demanding, recognition by European sovereign powers and then defending their newly constituted nations."
DIRECTIONS: Read through the sources below and then...
Choose ONE of the following ways to assess your understanding.
120 countries decided to declare their independence in the two centuries following the writing of the Declaration of Independence. All of these countries took ideas directly out of the American Declaration when it wrote its own declaration.
The French Revolution was partially caused by American ideals. Their Declaration of the Rights of Man very closely reflects the principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
In the years following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, countries around the world used the basic American model of declaring independence, asking for, or in some cases demanding, recognition by European sovereign powers and then defending their newly constituted nations."
DIRECTIONS: Read through the sources below and then...
Choose ONE of the following ways to assess your understanding.
- Write a two paragraph response using evidence that addresses the following prompt: "How has the American Declaration of Independence impacted other countries around the world? How have the PROMISES of equality found in the Declaration of Independence been extended/given to more groups of people in AMERICA over the last few hundred years?"
- Create a political cartoon that incorporates evidence and addresses the following prompt: "How has the American Declaration of Independence impacted other countries around the world? How have the PROMISES of equality found in the Declaration of Independence been extended/given to more groups of people in AMERICA over the last few hundred years?"
- Create a poem/rap that incorporates evidence and addresses the following prompt: "How has the American Declaration of Independence impacted other countries around the world? How have the PROMISES of equality found in the Declaration of Independence been extended/given to more groups of people in AMERICA over the last few hundred years?"
120 countries decided to declare their independence in the two centuries following the writing of the Declaration of Independence. All of these countries took ideas directly out of the American Declaration when it wrote its own declaration.
The French Revolution was partially caused by American ideals. Their Declaration of the Rights of Man very closely reflects the principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
Kosovo Declaration of Independence, 2008
"We, the democratically elected leaders of our people, hereby declare Kosovo to be an independent and sovereign state. This declaration reflects the will of our people...
We declare Kosovo to be a democratic, secular and multiethnic republic, guided by the principles of non-discrimination and equal protection under the law...
We shall adopt as soon as possible a Constitution that enshrines our commitment to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our citizens..."
We declare Kosovo to be a democratic, secular and multiethnic republic, guided by the principles of non-discrimination and equal protection under the law...
We shall adopt as soon as possible a Constitution that enshrines our commitment to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our citizens..."
In our own United States of America, it has been a long road to ensure that the PROMISE of equality in the Declaration of Independence has been extended to all people.
“What makes us exceptional -- what makes us American -- is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' Today we continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time.” -Barack Obama
“What makes us exceptional -- what makes us American -- is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' Today we continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time.” -Barack Obama
Task 6: Patriots or Terrorists?
DIRECTIONS: READ THIS ARTICLE then...
Choose ONE of the following ways to assess your understanding:
Choose ONE of the following ways to assess your understanding:
- Write a two paragraph response using evidence that addresses the following prompt: "Were the American Colonists PATRIOTS or TERRORISTS? Use evidence from the article and/or Tasks 1-4 above (about Enlightenment, Influential Documents, English Policies, and the Declaration of Independence) to prove your argument."
- Create a political cartoon that incorporates evidence and addresses the following prompt: "Were the American Colonists PATRIOTS or TERRORISTS? Use evidence from the article and/or Tasks 1-4 above (about Enlightenment, Influential Documents, English Policies, and the Declaration of Independence) to prove your argument."
- Create a poem/rap that incorporates evidence and addresses the following prompt: "Were the American Colonists PATRIOTS or TERRORISTS? Use evidence from the article and/or Tasks 1-4 above (about Enlightenment, Influential Documents, English Policies, and the Declaration of Independence) to prove your argument."
Create Your Own Task
Directions:
- Find a resource (or create a resource) that can be used to learn about our current unit of study that connects to the learning goal. It can be historical (from the past) or in current events (the present). Examples include a news/feature article, video, political cartoon, primary source images/photos, etc…
- Create directions for an activity that will prove your understanding of this source and how it connects to the learning goal.
- Check with me to approve your activity, and then complete it.
