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Forming a More Perfect Union
This WebQuest seeks to inform students on the Constitution and allow students to utilize critical inquiry skills.
This WebQuest seeks to inform students on the Constitution and allow students to utilize critical inquiry skills.
Tasks
Tasks
1. The PREAMBLE:
1. The PREAMBLE:
The Preamble is the introduction to the Constitution which states the goals of the Constitution. Go to the Interactive Constitution webpage below and read the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America silently. Once you are done, reread the Preamble and complete the questions below. Feel free to click around on the website to explore in depth analysis on the Preamble which may help you answer your questions.
Questions:
1. What are the six goals of the Preamble?
2. "To Form a More Perfect Union is the first goal of the Constitution. Why do you think this goal comes first?
3. How does the phrase "Establish Justice" differ from a similar term like "fairness"? Why do you think that the Founding Fathers chose to say "Justice" over "Fairness"? In your opinion, what does it mean to "establish" Justice?
4. Google Shays Rebellion. Write a 2 sentence summary in your own words of what happened during the incident.
5. The framers of the Constitution may have had Shays Rebellion in mind when they inserted the phrase "Insure Domestic Tranquility" in the Constitution. If that is so, what might this phrase mean?
6. Define posterity. Based on the definition you found, what does it mean and why is it important to "promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity"?
7. Why do you think the framers used the present tense of the verb "do" in the phrase "do ordain and establish" rather than the past tense, "did"? What difference does it make?
2. Constitutional Acts:
2. Constitutional Acts:
On the Interactive Constitution webpage read the following Amendments of the Constitution:
a. First Amendment
b. Second Amendment
c. Thirteenth Amendment
d. Fifteenth Amendment
e. Nineteenth Amendment
After you have read each of the above amendments of the Constitution. Answer the following questions for each act (so you should have a total of 15 answers). Type and print your answers while we are in the lab!
Questions
1. In your own words, write what this Amendment means?
2. Why is this Amendment important to the forming of a more perfect union?
3. How does this Amendment relate or apply in your life?
3. Constructed Response:
3. Constructed Response:
Imagine you are in a world were one of the previously mentioned Amendments never existed. Why is it important that this Amendment came about? What responsibilities do citizens have to ensure our rights are not infringed upon? Choose the amendment you want to focus on and write one well-developed paragraph (6-8 sentences) examining how the world would be different and how your own life would change based on this information.
4. Create:
4. Create:
Using your answers to the previous questions and the constructed response, create a PowerPoint presentation explaining the importance of the Constitution in the present day. Your PowerPoint should include the following slides:
- Title
- Introduction of Topic
- What would America Be Like Without the Constitution (choose 2 Amendments to talk about)
- Why This Matters to Me
- Conclusion
Your presentation should be colorful, tasteful and include appropriate images.
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