PEMBROKE ACADEMY

Unit Overview:

 

The unit covers chapters 1-3 from the text America’s Democratic Republic.  Including the foundational history of the republic, the writing and structure of the Constitution, and the implications of federalism in the US.

 

Essential Question(s) for the Unit:

 

• Why is America called a “Democratic-Republic?”

• Why was the Constitutional Convention called?

• What is the structure of the government under the Constitution?

• What events took place leading to the ratification of the Constitution?

• How has the Constitution evolved since its beginning?

• What is federalism and how does it affect our daily lives?

 

Essential Content & Skills:

 

Students should be able to do the following:

• Describe Eighteenth-Century Republicanism and compare it to Democracy.

• State the problems with the Articles of Confederation that led to the Constitutional Convention.

• Describe other causes of the Constitutional Convention, including Shays’ Rebellion.

• Analyze the debates over ratification and why the document was ratified.

• Apply information in the Constitution to descriptions of how the government works.

• Understand how changes in the Constitution have affected life in the US.

• Describe Federalism and why it is important in the US.

• Compare the pros and cons of the federal system.