Part III: Primary and Secondary Sources



Oakland Unified School District

District Assessment

8th Grade U.S. History

Fall Semester, 2010 – 2011

Topic: The Constitution

Writing Assignment:

“The Constitution, as adopted in 1789, was a vast improvement over the Articles of Confederation.” Defend or refute (agree or disagree with) this statement.

Work Packet #2 (EL Support)

Working With Source Documents

▪ Sources 1-2: A Focus on Taxes

▪ Sources 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7: A Focus on the Power of the National Government, State Governments, and Individuals

▪ Sources 8, 9, & 10: A Focus on Slavery

▪ Getting Ready to Write - Thinking again about the important responsibilities of a good government

Preparing to Write: Working with the Primary and Secondary Sources

Subject: Taxes

Background

Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had no power to tax. The national government could only ask each state for money to carry out its power. Why might this be a problem for the United States?

Under the Constitution, Congress was given the power to tax. The Congress could tax the people in order to pay the debts of the country and to provide for the common defense and welfare of the United States. Was this an improvement over the Articles of Confederation? Why or Why not?

Sources

In your opinion, do the quotes below suggest that the Constitution was better for the people of the United States than the Articles of Confederation? Read the quotes. Then write a short summary of the quote. Next circle Better or Not Better. Finally explain what the quote suggests about whether the Constitution was an improvement or not. Remember to use academic language. The first one is done for you.

|Source #1 - Alexander Hamilton discusses problems faced by the |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|nation under the Articles of Confederation |saying |suggest about the | |

| | |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|“[Under the Articles of Confederation] we have reached the last |This quote is saying that the country is in a very bad| |Hamilton suggests that the Constitution would be better for |

|stage of national humiliation….We owe debts [money] to foreign |position because they do not have soldiers, money or | |the people. In this quote, he argues that under the Articles |

|nations and our citizens, and we have no means to pay them. Is |government support. |Better |of Confederation the nation had no way to pay back what it |

|part of our country in the hands of other nations? Yes, and we | | |owed other nations and therefore was not free from these other|

|have neither the troops, nor the money, nor the government to get | | |countries. He also points out that under the Articles of |

|them back. “ | | |Confederation the U.S. did not have a national army or a |

|-Alexander Hamilton, 1787 | | |strong federal government. |

|Delegate from New York to the Constitutional Convention and | |Not | |

|supporter of the Constitution | |Better | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|Source #2 - Amos Singletary focused on the power of the national |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|government to tax under the Constitution |saying |suggest about the | |

| | |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|“We fought with Great Britain because they claimed a right to tax | | |Amos Singletary argues that the Constitution was |

|us. And does not this Constitution do the same? These lawyers, and| | | |

|men of learning, and moneyed men expect to be managers of this | |Better | |

|Constitution, and get all the power and all the money into their | | | |

|own hands, and then they will swallow up all us little folk.” | | | |

|-Amos Singletary, 1788, Massachusetts farmer | | | |

| | | | |

| | |Not | |

| | |Better | |

Conclusion

In regards to taxes, was the Constitution better than the Articles of Confederation?

Directions: Use the sentence stems to create a thoughtful statement that explains your opinion.

|Proposition Statement |I think that… |in regards to |taxes |the Constitution was |better than... |

| |I believe that… |when it came to |individual rights |the Articles of Confederation were |superior to... |

| |In my opinion… | |slavery | |did a better job of... |

| |It is my opinion that… | | | | |

| |In my view… | | | | |

| |It is my position that… | | | | |

| |It is my belief that… | | | | |

|Support |_________supports my position because.... |

| |I believe this because… |

| |One reason I see it this way is… |

| |I see things this way because… |

| |My opinion is based on… |

| |I support this position because… |

| |In support of this position I would argue that… |

Subject: The Powers of the National Government, State Governments, and the Rights of Individuals

Background

Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government allowed each state to determine which rights it would give individuals. Why might this be a problem for the people of the United States?

Under the Constitution’s Bill of Rights certain rights for individuals were guaranteed. Was this an improvement over the Articles of Confederation? Why or Why not?

Sources

|Source #3 - A difference between the Articles of |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|Confederation and the Constitution |saying |suggest about the | |

| | |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|“The Constitution of 1787 was very different from | | | These historians suggest that many people thought the Constitution would|

|the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution | |Better |be an improvement because |

|gave the new national government much greater power| | | |

|than it had under the Articles of Confederation. | | | |

|It created a more powerful executive branch (the | |Not | |

|President). Many people praised the Constitution, | |Better | |

|arguing that it would bring strength to the country| | | |

|and resolve differences between states." | | | |

|- from Voices of the American Past, Raymond Hyser | | | |

|and Chris Arndt, p. 95-96 | | | |

|Source #4 - The Massachusetts Constitutional |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|Convention on the importance of a Bill of Rights, |saying |suggest about the | |

|the first ten Amendments of the Constitution, 1788:| |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|"It is the opinion of this Convention that the | | |The Massachusetts Constitutional convention says that the Constitution |

|addition of a Bill of Rights to the Constitution | | |might be |

|would remove the fears of the many good people of | | | |

|Massachusetts, and more effectively guard against | | | |

|too much power for the national government. | | | |

| | | | |

|…it should be declared that all powers not given to| | | |

|the national government are reserved by the states | |Better | |

|[the 10th Amendment]…and that no person shall be | | | |

|deprived of life, liberty, or property without due | | | |

|process of law [5th amendment]. | | | |

|- Statement of the Massachusetts Convention that | | | |

|Ratified the Constitution, 1788 | |Not | |

| | |Better | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|Source #5 - An Anti-Federalist Argues against the |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|Adoption of the Constitution |saying |suggest about the | |

| | |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

| In contrast to the state governments, there is | | |This Anti-Federalist asserts that the Constitution… |

|little room in the proposed Constitution for the | | | |

|common man to express his views. Our political | |Better | |

|system must be in the hands of the common citizen –| | | |

|not a privileged group of elite, wealthy men. | | | |

| | | | |

|The greatest number of our citizens should have the| | | |

|opportunity to participate in government. That can| |Not | |

|only happen if the states keep their powers, not if| |Better | |

|their powers are taken by a strong national | | | |

|government. | | | |

|- Anti-Federalist argument against the Constitution| | | |

|Source #6 - A secondary source discussing Checks |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|and Balances |saying |suggest about the | |

| | |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

| “The national government proposed in the | | | The Choices Program explains that the Constitution was |

|Constitution will have the authority to act for all| | | |

|our citizens. The President will make sure that | |Better | |

|America’s laws are enforced fairly and | | | |

|consistently. The Supreme Court will make sure the| | | |

|Constitution is used to judge the laws of each of | | | |

|the states. The Congress will pass laws to solve | | | |

|the nation’s problems and end the arguing between | |Not | |

|the states.” | |Better | |

|-The Choices Program, Brown University August 2005 | | | |

|Source #7 - A quote from James Madison in |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|Federalist no. 51, 1788: (Madison is often |saying |suggest about the | |

|considered the “Father of the Constitution,” as his| |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

|ideas formed the basis of much of the | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

|Constitution.) | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|“Checks and balances among the legislative, | | | In this quote James Madison says |

|executive, and judicial branches of government will| | | |

|insure that no individual or group will gain too | |Better | |

|much power. Ambition must be made to counteract | | | |

|ambition...If men were angels, no government would | | | |

|be necessary...” | | | |

|- James Madison, 1788 | | | |

| | |Not | |

| | |Better | |

Conclusion

In regards to the powers of the national government, state governments, and the rights of individuals, was the Constitution better than the Articles of Confederation?

Directions: Use the sentence stems to create a thoughtful statement that explains your opinion.

|Proposition Statement |I think that… |in regards to |taxes |the Constitution was |better than... |

| |I believe that… |when it came to |individual rights |the Articles of Confederation were |superior to... |

| |In my opinion… | |slavery | |did a better job of... |

| |It is my opinion that… | | | | |

| |In my view… | | | | |

| |It is my position that… | | | | |

| |It is my belief that… | | | | |

|Support |_________supports my position because.... |

| |I believe this because… |

| |One reason I see it this way is… |

| |I see things this way because… |

| |My opinion is based on… |

| |I support this position because… |

| |In support of this position I would argue that… |

Subject: Slavery

Background

Under the Articles of Confederation, support or abolition of slavery was left up to each individual state to decide. Why might this be a problem for the people of the United States?

Under the Constitution, slavery was purposefully not mentioned. Instead general language was used to support the practice of slavery. Was this an improvement over the Articles of Confederation? Why or Why not?

Sources

|Source #8 - A historian explains how the Articles |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|of Confederation dealt with slavery |saying |suggest about the | |

| | |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|The Articles of Confederation | | | |

| | | | |

|a) accepted the existence of slavery, but only | | | |

|indirectly and in a way that stopped the national | | | |

|[government] from interfering with its existence… | | | |

|b) prohibited its Congress from signing any treaty| |Better | |

|that stopped [made illegal] the Atlantic slave | | | |

|trade. | | | |

|c) left slavery, its abolition or continued | | | |

|existence, as something for the laws of individual | | | |

|states to decide. | |Not | |

| | |Better | |

|-from Sally E. Hadden, in The Cambridge History of | | | |

|Law in America, Volume 1. Michael Grossberg, | | | |

|Christopher L. Tomlins | | | |

|eds., 2008, p. 278 | | | |

|Source #9 - An historian discusses ways the Constitution |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|protected slavery |saying |suggest about the | |

| | |Constitution? |According to _____ .... |

| | | |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|“The writers of the Constitution did not include the words | | | |

|slave and slavery, but they did include clauses and words | | | |

|designed to support the enslavement of African Americans in | |Better | |

|the southern states. These clauses said that Congress | | | |

|couldn’t pass any law stopping the African slave trade until | | | |

|1808, and provided for U.S. government military aid in | | | |

|putting down slave revolts. | | | |

| | |Not | |

|- from African American History, Darlene Clark Hine, p. 149 | |Better | |

| | | | |

|Source #10 - Historian Robin Einhorn explains the 3/5 |Short summary of what the author of the quote is |What does this source |What arguments does the author make? |

|Compromise’s Impact on the Nation |saying |suggest about the |According to _____ .... |

| | |Constitution? |_____ suggests/reveals/states/asserts… |

| | | |Based on ______ I learned… |

| | | |In this quote ____argues... |

|“The Three-Fifths Compromise provided what might be called | | | |

|negative representation for slaves, as it actually increased | | | |

|the power of their masters in the legislature and therefore | |Better | |

|contributed to the continuation of slavery.” | | | |

|-from “Slavery and the Constitution,” Robin Einhorn, 2007 | | | |

| | |Not | |

| | |Better | |

Conclusion

In regards to individual rights, was the Constitution better than the Articles of Confederation?

Directions: Use the sentence stems to create a thoughtful statement that explains your opinion.

|Proposition Statement |I think that… |in regards to |taxes |the Constitution was |better than... |

| |I believe that… |when it came to |individual rights |the Articles of Confederation were |superior to... |

| |In my opinion… | |slavery | |did a better job of... |

| |It is my opinion that… | | | | |

| |In my view… | | | | |

| |It is my position that… | | | | |

| |It is my belief that… | | | | |

|Support |_________supports my position because.... |

| |I believe this because… |

| |One reason I see it this way is… |

| |I see things this way because… |

| |My opinion is based on… |

| |I support this position because… |

| |In support of this position I would argue that… |

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