Declaration of Independence

Our students have been analyzing the Declaration of Independence, and have been looking at the work of two historians, Bernard Bailyn and Howard Zinn, who answered the question, "Why did the Founders write the Declaration of Independence?"

Now, the students will explain which historian makes a better case. In a well written paragraph,  the students will respond to this prompt:

• Contrast Bernard Bailyn and Howard Zinn's ideas about the Declaration of Independence
• Explain the main ideas of Bailyn and Zinn. Use short quotes from each historian to support your writing
• Find one example from the text of the Declaration that supports Bailyn, and 1 that supports  Zinn. Use short quotes from the text, and explain how each supports the historian
• In a short conclusion, explain which historian is correct, and why

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was the idea in the 19th century that the destiny of the United States was to spread from the east coast to the Pacific Ocean. However, even though we look at the idea today and realize that people such as the Native American Indians and the country of Mexico might have suffered under Manifest Destiny, it was very popular at the time.

Your assignment is to write two paragraphs that answer these questions:

1. How did people at the time justify Manifest Destiny?
1. Be sure to cite at least 3 specific reasons that supported Manifest Destiny, and brief quotations  to support your ideas
2. Were their reasons legitimate? Why or why not?

"I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman

I Hear America Singing

Freedom of Speech? The Sedition Act of 1798

Congressman Matthew Lyon of Vermont, shown here in a actual fight with another congressman on the floor of the House of Representatives, said that all President Adams wanted was "ridiculous pomp [ceremony]." That was enough to have Congressmen Lyon charged with violating the Sedition Act, passed by Congress in 1798 and signed into law by President Adams. He was one of many to be charged and convicted under this law.

As you post your responses, please make sure that you start your entry with your period, and then first name and last initial

Paragraph 1: Describe the Sedition Act of 1798 – explain what acts were illegal, why the law was passed, and the penalties for violation. Be sure to use brief quotations from the text to support your answer

Paragraph 2: Describe the reasons that Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Armstrong oppose the Sedition Acts. Explain what actions that they suggest should be done to stop these laws. Be sure to use brief quotations from the text to support your answer

Paragraph 3: The Sedition Act clearly limited freedom of speech. Some “speech” in the US is limited: for example, making terrorist threats or revealing military secrets are not considered “protected speech” under the First Amendment. Do you think that there should be any limits on free speech? Why or why not?

Why did the Founders keep slavery in the Constitution?

When the Declaration of Independence was written in 1776, one paragraph was deleted from the rough draft -- a paragraph blaming King George III for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. After the Revolutionary War was fought and won, the Founders again faced the issue of slavery and the slave trade as they created the Constitution. During the Constitutional Convention, the Founders made the 3/5 Compromise over representation, agreed on the gradual elimination of the slave trade, and inserted a requirement to return escaped slaves to their owners. Interestingly, in none of these sections is the word "slavery" ever used.

Your task is to write a well written paragraph that includes a topic sentence and that answers the question: "What was the main reason that the Founders kept slavery in the Constitution, even though the Declaration of Independence claimed that 'all men are created equal'"?

In your paragraph, be sure to cite evidence from at least two corroborating  sources, including a primary source and a secondary source. In addition, use short quotes from the documents to support your answers.

In your conclusion, tell whether the Founders made the right decision, and why (or why not).

Don't forget to start your entry with your class period, your first name, and your last initial, for example, "P2 Thomas J"

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

Happy Constitution Day, September 17, 2014!

On September 17, 1787, the Founders shared the Constitution with the American public. Over the next year, Americans debated whether to approve the new Constitution. Federalists were in favor of ratification, and the anti-Federalists wanted to see it rejected.

Your prompt: Compare and contrast the views of Anti-Federalist Melancton Smith and Federalist Alexander Hamilton in a well written paragraph.

Task: Make sure your paragraph has the following elements:

• Explaining how each felt about representation in the new Constitution
• Explaining what kind of government each wanted to see
• From the document text, infer what kinds of people  supported the Federalists and anti-Federalists -- explain what led you to that inference
• Use brief quotations from the texts to support your ideas -- make sure you explain any quotes that you use

Declaration of Independence

Our students have been analyzing the Declaration of Independence, and have been looking at the work of two historians, Bernard Bailyn and Howard Zinn, who answered the question, "Why did the Founders write the Declaration of Independence?"

Now, the students will explain which historian makes a better case. In a well written paragraph,  the students will respond to this prompt:

• Contrast Bernard Bailyn and Howard Zinn's ideas about the Declaration of Independence
• Explain the main ideas of Bailyn and Zinn. Use short quotes from each historian to support your writing
• Find one example from the text of the Declaration that supports Bailyn, and 1 that supports  Zinn. Use short quotes from the text, and explain how each supports the historian
• In a short conclusion, explain which historian is correct, and why