Thursday 9/29

Today we finished the last of the papers that students received monday. This one was on the first two political parties of the new country the federalists and anti federalists. The federalists were for the constitution and the anti federalists were against it. 9 of 13 states needed to agree for it to become our new constitution. We looked at both sides arguments. We finished class looking at the Bill of Rights. This was added to the Constitution after the fact to appease the anti federalists who were mad about the new Constitution.

Federalist vs Anti-Federalist
Bill of Rights on pg 96-97

Wed 9/28

Today we covered the constitution, in particular the first 3 articles of the constitution. Our government is based on 3 branches that have separation of powers. No branch holds too much power, instead it is divided among the 3. We also discussed article 5 that is an amendment. All of these ideas particularly about checks and balances and separation of powers are Enlightenment ideals that are starting to influence our country.

Quickwrite # 7 started class-How do the first 3 articles of the Constitution work together? Why not make it more efficient and have one person or thing do everything? In the preamble it lists 6 reasons this new government is formed. Which do you think is the most important and why?
 How do the first 3 articles of the Constitution work together? Why not make it more efficient and have one person or thing do everything? In the preamble it lists 6 reasons this new government is formed. Which do you think is the most important and why?

 

Tuesday 9/27

Today I reviewed the work from last week. We mainly discussed the 4 issues of the constitutional convention. In short issue 2 and 10 about slavery showed America's differences and that there would be problems eventually we would have to deal with.
Issue 7 reflected a divide between state and federal governments and how states must do what the country tells them even if they dont want to. (though sometimes they dont). The battle between power is called federalism.
Issue 5 was the biggest issue of the convention. Who should get the most Representatives in congress. The big states with a big population or the small states with a little population? They compromised on two houses of congress. The senate would be for small states where everyone has the same. The big one would be for big states where the get more votes.

Constitution Work started monday or today. Needs to be done by wed

Monday 9/26

I was out today but students were to finish last week's state work that was started on thursday. If they finished they were able to move on to the Constitution assignment.(I will post this for tomorrow)

Friday 9/23

Students took their quiz from the beginning of the year through Shay's Rebellion. We weren't able to get much further but briefly students were able to work on yesterday's state work

thurs 9/22

Today we began looking at Shay's Rebellion. A small farmer rebellion in Massachusetts scared many Americans into changing our country. The fear was if we could not protect our property the government could quickly be overthrown. After that students were given an original state and they had to try to determine how their state would favor certain issues at the Constitutional Convention. If you are making this up pick the state of Virginia.
Shay's Rebellion Handout

The issues for the states
The Questions you answered on your state

wed 9/21

Now that America had broken free we took notes on the American Revolution. America's rode to independence was 7 long years.
Notes on our new country government. The Articles of the Confederation
Notes on American Revolution and quickwrite 6

Tues 9/20

The document from yesterday's post is what we looked at today. I talked about how the D of I was a life or death decision. Students did the back of the page either during class or for homework. (just look in yesterday's one)

Monday 9/19

We looked today at the pamphlet common sense and how its publication helped convince many people that Independence was simply that, "common sense". We also countered that with loyalists of the day and why they thought independence was a bad idea. Lastly we began to look at the Declaration of Independence and its significance to America.
Common Sense and Dec of Ind

Friday 9/16

Today we talked about major events going on in Boston. Boston was the center for all patriot activity resisting the British leading up to the Revolution. The Boston Massacre, Boston Tea party and Closing of the Port of Boston all played a role in anger towards the British. In reality the colonists could probably be blamed for all of them, but none the less it helped unite the colonies together.

Friday Quickwrite and Notes

Thurs 9/15

Today we looked at how the French and Indian War impacted the colonies.Great Britain had just won a war against France to keep and protect America. All Great Britain was doing was asking us to pay our share of the war. Thus began the beginning of Britain trying to tax America over and over again. The tax that angered colonists more than any other was the Stamp Act. It essentially taxed many things the colonists bought and paid for. Letters, Newspapers, Licenses, Death Certificates. It was one of the many things that led to the snowball growing larger and larger and larger.There was also the Proclamation Line which forbid the colonists from moving into the very land they just won in the war. All of these led to growing hostilities between the colonists and British, particularly in Boston. Two big phrases from class today. 1. No Taxation Without Representation. 2. It wasn't about the money, It was about their rights. 
Notes and Quickwrite from wed.

Stamp Act

Wed 9/14

In class today we took the quiz on historical thinking terms that we had talked about last week. It was a short day and this covered a lot of the class. We finished class with a quickwrite(some classes got into 1 slide of notes). I will post the quickwrite with the notes on thursday's post.
If you need to make the quiz please schedule a time to take it promptly

Tuesday 9/13

We continued the idea of the snowballs by looking at two of the first things that spurred new ideas among the colonists. While these did not directly push the colonists towards independence the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment had a major influence on the colonies. Students finished class by answering the questions below and reading chapter 1 section 4(the other questions on the paper look at the differences in the colonies that won't be important until next unit). Quiz tomorrow on historical thinking words.

Questions for Chapter 1 section 4

Monday 9/12

Today in class you will be looking at the Puritans and their role in early America. They established their settlement with strong ideas to make America different from every other nation on the planet. 
Reading  Questions

While it is just a cartoon about Donald Duck it does a great job of showing an idea about history. The phrase "snowball effect" comes from something very similar to what Donald showed in this cartoon. Once a snowball starts rolling it begins to get larger and larger and larger. Before you know it, it is an out of control ball. In history we see similar things take place. What starts as a small incident, leads to larger and larger and larger problems. The first big "snowball" we will see this year will lead to the beginning of America starting as a country. Start video at 4:24 mark

Friday Sept 9

After briefly discussing 9/11's impact on history we began the beginning of our unit on Our Nation's Founding. We talked briefly about why the first explorers and colonizers came over to the new world. There was also a quickwrite, our second that should be in your notebooks.

Quickwrite 2 and Notes

Thursday 9/8

We begun discussing what the term "The American Dream" means. It is a term that can be used to describe many different things. Some people view making it to America and it's freedom as the dream. To others it is rising out of poverty to achieve greatness. For some it is simply a two story home, a family of 4 and a white picket fence. The American Dream is all things to all people, which makes it unique. No other countries have this sort of calling. In the class each student had to focus on what the American Dream means to them. Each class has a google classroom. To do the assignment ask me what your class code is. Go on Google Classroom to do the assignment on a slide. 

Wed 9/7

We continued looking at historical thinking terms but in the context of US history. We looked at the 7 questions and how we would apply historical thinking to each of them.

Sourcing Questions

Tuesday 9/6

We began looking at examples of the words we covered on friday. The particular story we looked at was of Ryan Lochte and his robbery incident in Brazil.

In class Historical Thinking

Friday Sept 2nd

Students had the first Quickwrite which went in notebook. It was on the Saving Private Ryan Clip. After that we began looking at 6 key historical thinking terms students need to know and memorize for the upcoming year. Because we just began looking at them I will post them next tuesday when we get into the entire assignment.

Thursday Sept 1

We read a short essay titled "Why History?" handout can be found  HERE. It discusses reasons we look at history. We finished class by watching the final scene of Saving Private Ryan. There will be a quickwrite on it tomorrow.