Chapter 1
An Historical Overview
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completing this chapter, the student will know:
1. What law is.
2. What pluralism contributes to our society.
3. Why colonists resisted increased taxes.
4. What the Boston Tea Party symbolized.
5. What resulted from the First and Second Continental Congresses.
6. What the Declaration of Independence is.
7. What the Articles of Confederation were.
8. What the Magna Carta is.
9. What important role the Magna Carta played in framing the U.S. Constitution.
10. What the primary purpose of the Constitution is and how it is achieved.
11. What the “Great Compromise” achieved.
12. What the first three articles of the Constitution accomplished.
13. How the balance of power was established.
14. What the supremacy clause established.
15. When and where the Constitution was signed.
16. Who the Federalists and Anti-Federalists were.
17. Why some states were reluctant to accept the Constitution.
18. What the Bill of Rights is and how it was included with the Constitution.
,19. Where the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are housed.
,LESSON PLAN
I. Introduction
II. Where It All Began
Learning Objective 1: What law is
A. Constitution and Laws
Class Discussion/Activity:
Ask students how the various cultures incorporated into the United States have contributed to
the uniqueness of U.S. law.
III. Contributions from the Past
Learning Objective 2: What pluralism contributes to our society
Learning Objective 3: Why colonists resisted increased taxes
A. Pluralism—diversity in American colonies
B. “Melting pot”—assimilation among colonists
C. Organization and development of the colonies
D. Liberty and limited government
What If Scenario:
In 1775, three large groups coexisted in the United States: the American Indians, the African
slaves, and the colonists. Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large
tribal confederacy. As the colonists expended West and encroached on tribal lands, fighting
broke out between them, ending in Tecumseh’s defeat. What if, instead of fighting the
Confederation, the United States had recognized the Native American tribes as having authority
over their historical lands and collaborated with them in the development of the Continent?
, IV. Development of the United States of America
A. Expansion plans of world powers
V. Colonial Dissension Grows
Learning Objective 4: What the Boston Tea Party symbolized
A. British defeat of France
B. Great Britain’s continuing problems
1. Westward settlement by colonists
2. Debts incurred to expand British Empire
C. The Stamp Act
D. The Quartering Act
E. The Boston Massacre
F. The Boston Tea Party
Class Discussion/Activity:
A major problem facing Great Britain was the huge debt resulting from English military action
to expand the empire. The British Parliament felt the colonists should share this debt. Have
students discuss how this was a nexus for what the Patriots were attempting to do.
VI. The First Continental Congress
Learning Objective 5: What resulted from the First and Second Continental Congress
A. Agreement between colonies to stand against Britain
1. Loyalists v. Patriots
Class Discussion/Activity:
An Historical Overview
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completing this chapter, the student will know:
1. What law is.
2. What pluralism contributes to our society.
3. Why colonists resisted increased taxes.
4. What the Boston Tea Party symbolized.
5. What resulted from the First and Second Continental Congresses.
6. What the Declaration of Independence is.
7. What the Articles of Confederation were.
8. What the Magna Carta is.
9. What important role the Magna Carta played in framing the U.S. Constitution.
10. What the primary purpose of the Constitution is and how it is achieved.
11. What the “Great Compromise” achieved.
12. What the first three articles of the Constitution accomplished.
13. How the balance of power was established.
14. What the supremacy clause established.
15. When and where the Constitution was signed.
16. Who the Federalists and Anti-Federalists were.
17. Why some states were reluctant to accept the Constitution.
18. What the Bill of Rights is and how it was included with the Constitution.
,19. Where the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are housed.
,LESSON PLAN
I. Introduction
II. Where It All Began
Learning Objective 1: What law is
A. Constitution and Laws
Class Discussion/Activity:
Ask students how the various cultures incorporated into the United States have contributed to
the uniqueness of U.S. law.
III. Contributions from the Past
Learning Objective 2: What pluralism contributes to our society
Learning Objective 3: Why colonists resisted increased taxes
A. Pluralism—diversity in American colonies
B. “Melting pot”—assimilation among colonists
C. Organization and development of the colonies
D. Liberty and limited government
What If Scenario:
In 1775, three large groups coexisted in the United States: the American Indians, the African
slaves, and the colonists. Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large
tribal confederacy. As the colonists expended West and encroached on tribal lands, fighting
broke out between them, ending in Tecumseh’s defeat. What if, instead of fighting the
Confederation, the United States had recognized the Native American tribes as having authority
over their historical lands and collaborated with them in the development of the Continent?
, IV. Development of the United States of America
A. Expansion plans of world powers
V. Colonial Dissension Grows
Learning Objective 4: What the Boston Tea Party symbolized
A. British defeat of France
B. Great Britain’s continuing problems
1. Westward settlement by colonists
2. Debts incurred to expand British Empire
C. The Stamp Act
D. The Quartering Act
E. The Boston Massacre
F. The Boston Tea Party
Class Discussion/Activity:
A major problem facing Great Britain was the huge debt resulting from English military action
to expand the empire. The British Parliament felt the colonists should share this debt. Have
students discuss how this was a nexus for what the Patriots were attempting to do.
VI. The First Continental Congress
Learning Objective 5: What resulted from the First and Second Continental Congress
A. Agreement between colonies to stand against Britain
1. Loyalists v. Patriots
Class Discussion/Activity:
