Summary: Through the process of forming a social contract, students will understand how a society is formed and the importance of a shared set of underlying values and principles including consent of the government, rights protection, liberty, justice and equality.
Overarching Questions:
- CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during the time period? If so, how and what has been the impact?
- CIVICS: How well does the government balance individual rights and the common good, including the need to maintain order, safety and a healthy environment, during this time period?
NJ Student Learning Standards for Social Studies:
- 6.1.12.CivicsPI.1.a: Explain how British North American colonies adopted the British governance structure to fit their ideas of individual rights, economic growth, and participatory government.
- 6.1.12.CivicsPD.1.a: Use multiple sources to analyze the factors that led to an increase in the political rights and participation in government. Have individuals and groups influence public policy during this time period? If so, how and what has been the impact?
Links to lesson:
- Forming a Social Contract
- Social Contract Theory-Ethics Unwrapped University of Texas
- Mayflower Compact-Background and Document-Constitutional Rights Foundation
- Charter of West New Jersey 1676