Constitution Day Returns; Challenges Students' Historical Knowledge
Our seniors brought elements of our nation’s journey to the Constitution to life for their fifth grade buddies during Constitution Day. Seniors were given 6 specific areas of history that played a role in the making of the Constitution and were challenged with creating games, skits and other activities to quiz their fifth grade friends on. Those included:
1 | Zenger Trial
2 | Madison and the Iroquois
3 | Creation of the District of Columbia
4 | Constitutional Amendment winners and losers
5 | Rome and the Constitution
6 | The Three-Fifths Clause
1 | Zenger Trial: Here students played the role of jurors during the trial of John Peter Zenger, a printer who was tried for libel when his publication printed articles criticizing the governor. The trial was the first step in the freedom of the press, an outcome of the trial that was later established by the First Amendment.
2 | Madison and the Iroquois: Students created a board game about James Madison, the Iroquois Confederacy and the Constitution. Based on their answer, students would either advance or fall back in the game. The Iroquois Confederacy was a model for our early government based on a unity of select tribes.
3 | Creation of the District of Columbia: Seniors worked to connect the actions and outcomes of Shays' Rebellion to the eventual creation of Washington, D.C. They then looked at L'Enfant's design and had students identify places in Washington, D.C. before creating their own designs for the capital. Shays’ Rebellion brought to light the weaknesses in the newly formed government and influenced many to support revising the Articles of Confederation so that a stronger government could be formed.
4 | Constitutional Amendment Winners and Losers: Students tested their knowledge of the amendments by selecting which amendments became part of the Constitution and which ones failed to be ratified.
5 | Rome and the Constitution: Seniors portrayed two Roman Senators and negotiated with the framers of the U.S. Constitution over what should be included in the Constitution and why.
6 | The Three-Fifths Clause: Students listened as seniors portrayed small New England states arguing with large Southern states over their representation in Congress. The three-fifths clause increased the power of southern states by counting people who were not free as three-fifths of a free individual when determining representation in Congress.
