Era 2: Revolution and the New Nation (1754–1820s)

Summary: Students will analyze the colonial grievances that led to the American Revolution through a political cartoon, The Bostonian's Paying the Excise-Man, or Tarring & Feathering, printed in London in 1774. This activity can be used at the beginning of a unit on the American Revolution when introducing or reviewing the economic and political causes of the Revolutionary War.

Overarching Questions:

CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during the time period?...

Summary: The American Revolution involved internal and external disputes. Externally, the colonists contested the authority of the British King, his ministers and the British Parliament in North America. Internally, colonists argued over how to respond to the acts of the British government that threatened American interests and ideology. This lesson examines the causes of the Revolutionary War and includes two historical role-plays. The first uses a mock mediation to explore the divisions among...

Summary: Women played significant roles in the Revolutionary War effort. They boycotted British-made goods, warned of Redcoat advances, kept their homes and farms running, accompanied their husbands into battle, and even fought. In this interactive lesson, students will learn about the ways in which a diverse group of women contributed to the Revolutionary War effort. At the end of this lesson, students will be asked to answer an essential question: In what ways did women contribute to the...

Summary: This expansive lesson offers up to five 40-minute periods of instruction. In this lesson students will be use primary sources to explain why some colonists remained loyal to Britain and others supported independence; take and defend a position n whether the treatment of loyalist was necessary and fair; compare and contrast the backgrounds, views and actions of Two New jersey Governors, William Franklin and William Livingston; explain why Washington choose Morristown as the site for two...

Summary: This lesson provides a comprehensive look at the 1776 New Jersey State Constitution. It offers historical background, extensive vocabulary, cooperative analysis, and a final critical comparison to the United State Constitution (1787). By the end of the lesson, students will be able to explain the content and impact of the provisions of New Jersey’s 1776 Constitution regarding the electorate, the branches of government, and the protection of individual rights.

Overarching Questions:

CIVICS: How...

Summary: In this lesson, students will first read the introductory background and a brief primary source excerpt. Then students will apply their knowledge of American history to describe the events that led to the Lenni-Lenape Indians living on the Brotherton reservation in New Jersey; explain why the settlement at Brotherton failed; consider the Lenape reaction to non tribe members owning or living on Brotherton land; and explain why most members of the Brotherton community left New Jersey in...

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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? NEW JERSEY: How have changes in New Jersey during this time period influenced U.S. history?

NJ Student Learning Standards:

6.1.12.HistoryUP.2.a: Using primary sources, describe the perspectives of African Americans, Native Americans, and women during the American Revolution and assess the contributions of each group on the...

Summary: Students will review the background of New Jersey delegates to the Federal Convention in Philadelphia (1787), conduct a Mock Federal Convention on the question of state representation in Congress, and compare outcomes of the student Mock Convention outcomes to the constitutional outcome and current congressional representation.

Overarching Questions:

CIVICS: How well does the government balance individual rights and the common good, including the need to maintain order, safety and a...

Summary: Students will build individual and class definitions of Classical Republicanism and Natural Rights Philosophy. Then, using an academic secondary source, students will refine their definitions and sharpen their understanding. Finally, students will identify the elements of both Classical Republicanism and Natural Rights Philosophy within the text of the United States Constitution.

Overarching Questions:

CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during the...

Summary: Although the Declaration of Independence stated, "All men are created equal," Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers agreed to include slavery in the United States Constitution. What factors led to this decision? In this lesson, students consider the positions of delegates to the Constitutional Convention along with historians' interpretations to understand this apparent contradiction.

Overarching Questions:

CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during...

Summary: In this lesson, students will explore and compare the positions of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the founding era. Students will clarify those positions through a card sort activity provided by the New Jersey Center for Civic Education. In addition, students will explain the need for and value of compromise, conduct a debate, and analyze the relevance of Anti-Federalist concerns today.

Overarching Questions:

CIVICS: How well does the government balance individual rights and the...

Summary: This iCivics lesson focuses on the arguments for and against a national bank. When Alexander Hamilton introduced the idea of a National Bank, it met with pushback from the likes of Madison and Jefferson. This battle was the nation's first constitutional crisis: Could the Congress take on a power not expressly listed in the Constitution? Was the Bank ``necessary and proper" to other expressed powers? This document-based lesson takes students through the competing views about a national...

Summary: In this lesson, students will understand and analyze an excerpt from George Washington’s “Farewell Address,” with a focus on the themes of divisiveness and national unity. Also, students will compare Washington’s perception of the early United States to modern perceptions and apply their understanding of history to our current context.· Finally, students will create their own “address” in order to explore the civic themes raised by Washington as they relate to the students’ own...

Summary: The Sedition Act touched off a lively debate about the right of free speech. It also presented an early test case to the citizens and government regarding the balance between security and the rights of individuals in times of war. In this lesson, students will also assess and analyze how partisan politics shaped security policy; what provisions in the Constitution were relevant to the Sedition Act; and what arguments were offered in Congress for and against the Sedition Act.

Overarching...