United States Constitution

A Web Quest.

INTRODUCTION

As a citizen of the Newly formed United States ofAmerica, you are quickly becoming frustrated withthe inefficient government in the post revolutionarywar United States. You have been invited to attend aconstitutional convention in Philadelphia. Your concernsdepend upon your age, wealth, occupation, geographical location, and past experiences with government. Theclass will function as a state ratification assembly. Yourpresentation must demonstrate all of the attitudes andproblems confronted at the convention in Philadelphia.

Your Role as a Citizen• Veteran Soldier : You fought in the

Revolutionary War. • Merchant: You sell clothing in one of the

cities. • Tavern/Hotel/Land Owner: You

established your wealth in the Revolutionary War, and you were a vocal Patriot.

• Citizen : You do not want another king and are fearful of any central government.• Banker : You are concerned that the

government has no way of making money.

Veteran Solider

It is September, 1786; the war is over and yet you are facing new struggles.Your crops are poor and the state is taxing you heavily in order to pay thedebts that developed during the years of fighting. The state is asking you topay the taxes in gold or silver. In order to pay the taxes, you have borrowedmoney from wealthy merchants and bankers. Now because you can't pay thedebt your property is being auctioned. For more information, click your state:

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania,New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia .

Merchant

You came to the colonies from Manchester England in 1770 because of theopportunity to make your fortune. After working hard stocking shelves in ageneral store and unloading ships at the pier, you were able to accumulateenough money to build and stock your own clothing store. Your fortunes grew until1777 when the war began to discourage customers from spending their money. Formore information, click your state: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania,New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia .

Tavern/Hotel/Land Owner

In many ways, you are like the merchant; you came to the Colonies as a loyal British subject desiring anew start and an opportunity to make a fortune. After working in a variety of odd jobs you received alucky break in 1772. The tavern/hotel /Land owner that you were working for became concerned with all of the talk of Revolution. Being a loyal British subject, he did not want to subject his family to taunts and persecution. He sold you the entire business for less than 10% of its value and returned with his family to London. You established your wealth in the next three years and when the shots were fired atLexington and Concord you were a vocal Patriot. Throughout the war you refused to accommodate anyBritish troops, merchants, or soldiers. Now you want to see the United States government succeed. Formore information, click your state:

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania,New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia .

Citizen

You were quite vocal in your support for independence and revolution. You supported the Articles of Confederation because they gave the states the power to rule themselves. You did not trust King George; you never trusted Parliament; and you certainly do not want a new federal government which will be unsympathetic to the needs of the people within each state. For more information , click your state:

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania,New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia .

Banker

Your specialty is making and holding on to money. Your friend Ben Franklin alwayssaid, "A penny saved is a penny earned." You use his maxim to encourage citizens to save their penniesin your bank. You have loaned money to farmers, merchants, soldiers, and patriots for whom the war caused hardship. Now the loans must be repaid and you are being forced to auction the property ofsome of your closest friends. You think that part of the problem comes from the Articles ofConfederation. The merchants have trouble with interstate trading and the government needs a centralbank and a standard currency. You think that money may indeed be ". . . the root of all . . ." theproblems facing the new government. For more information, click your state:

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania,New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia .

Your Task1. You must begin your quest by studying the description of the citizen. Use the links to discover the views of the delegate in your

occupation that attended the constitution in the state you have been assigned.

2. After researching the Articles of Confederation and reviewing the problems the new country has because of the weaknesses in the wartime government you must decide whether you will attend the convention or not. If you decide not to attend the convention as that character, you must record your decision in the handout and choose a new Role in which you will attend the convention.

3. Once you decide in which Role to attend the convention you must begin your web quest.

4. As your Character, You must research each of the following historical issues to be debated in Philadelphia: 1. Should we revise the Articles of Confederation or write a brand new constitution? 2. What do you think of the Virginia Plan presented by Edmund Randolph? 3. How do you feel about the New Jersey plan presented by William Paterson? 4. When the Great Compromise is proposed, how does it help your state? 5. What is your position regarding the debate which is solved by the 3/5 Compromise? 6. When you ask the citizens of your state to ratify the new Constitution, do you expect an easy ratification or a prolonged

debate with a variety of differences? 7. Why do you think that a Bill of Rights needs to be included as a part of the ratification process?

5. You will create a power point slide explaining the answers to each of the previous questions, along with a brief explanation of the historical event associated with the question, I.E. Articles of Confederation, Virginia Plan, Great Compromise, 3/5 Compromise, Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

6. Finally, you and a partner will record your characters opinion/position statement of the events in Philadelphia and the newly formed constitution. In your video segment, you will need to “present the issues of the Constitutional Convention to your state's ratification assembly.” You want to convince your state to ratify the new Constitution. However you must be prepared to answer all of their concerns in advance, so be as detailed as possible. Be sure to include the important issues that were resolved which affected your particular state and its citizens. This video will added to the end of your power point presentation.

7. Once created, as time permits, students may view each others statement videos, and be put into groups to blog with each other regarding their viewpoint of the proposed constitution . One group will represent the concerns of the state assembly , while the other group represents the viewpoints presented at the Philadelphia Convention. (OPTIONAL)

ResourcesConstitutional

Delegates Biographies

MoreConstitutional

Delegates Biographies

The Constitution of theUnited States.

Summary of the Constitutional Convention

The Virginia Plan

The New Jersey Plan

The 3/5 Compromise

The Articles of Confederation

The Bill of Rights

The New Jersey/ Virginia

DebateThe Great Compromise

Scoring Rubric