1. Unit 4: The United States Constitution
CCGPS: SS8H3b-Describe the role of Georgia at the Constitutional Convention of 1787; include the role of Abraham Baldwin and William Few, and reasons why Georgia ratified the new Constitution.

2. The First Five October 17, 2014 Agenda Message: No homework tonight!
Today’s Warm-up:
Think/Share/Pair Activity: The year is 1787 and your new country needs to create a government. Everyone is wondering what the new government will be like. You have been invited to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to decide how the new government should be organized. With a partner, answer the following questions:
1. How would you create a government?
2. What will be your main goal in creating a new government?
3. How will you get the people at the convention to agree on
important issues?
4. What do you think your biggest challenges will be?

3. Founding Fathers of the USA
These men made great contributions to the establishment of the USA.
The Founding Fathers of this nation are:
George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
Benjamin Franklin
Alexander Hamilton

4. United States Constitution
Written in Philadelphia in Independence Hall, at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 by James Madison
This 4 page document is the “supreme law of the land.”
It established a new way to govern all of the states and guaranteed all citizens the same basic rights. Each state decides how to govern themselves.

5. Constitutional Convention of 1787
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787:
George Washington was elected President of the United States of America.
Democratic Republic was selected as the type of government for the USA.
A. Republic: allows citizens to choose
representatives to govern for them.
B. Democracy: reflects the will of the people.

6. United States Constitution
This document does the following:
Bicameral government (2 houses)
Senate: Each state has the same number of votes (2)
House of Representatives: Number of votes are based on a state’s population
3. Divides power into 3 branches of government, with a system of Checks and balances:
Executive: Enforce the laws
Legislative: Make laws
Judicial: Interpret the laws
2. National government has the power to
collect taxes and regulate trade
4. Electoral College was created to elect a president:
Each state would select electors (representatives).
The number of electors for each state would equal the # of its senators and representatives.
The electors vote the president.

7. The 3 branches of government use Checks and Balances to ensure that one branch does not exert too much power.

8. Ticket Out the Door
Who are the “founding fathers” of the United States of America?

9. The First Five November 6, 2013
Agenda Message: Answer these 7 questions…
Why was there a need for a new Constitution in 1787?
Which six men are regarded as the Founding Fathers of the USA?
Who wrote the Constitution?
Who were the two Georgians that signed the Constitution?
What is the Bill of Rights?
Which state was the 4th state to ratify/approve the Constitution?
What is another name for the Bill of Rights?

10. Today’s Warm-up: What was the first written Constitution of the USA?
Colonial Confederation
American Constitution
Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
2. Who was elected Georgia’s first governor under the Constitution of 1777?
Lyman Hall
George Walton
John Treutlen
Button Gwinnett

11. Constitutional Convention of 1787
On September 17, 1787, the delegates approved and signed the U.S. Constitution.
Georgia held a special convention to ratify (approve) the Constitution.
Georgia was the 4th state to approve the U.S. Constitution.
The signers for Georgia were Abraham Baldwin and William Few.
Abraham Baldwin
William Few

12. Bill of Rights
Guarantees rights to protect all Americans against the power of government
James Madison wrote them
They are also known as the first 10 amendments (additions) to the Constitution:
Examples: Five Freedoms = Freedom of religion, speech, press, to assemble, and to petition the government
More Examples: Trial by jury of peers, no quartering of soldiers in homes of citizens, the right to bear arms, etc.

13. 3-2-1 Responses Who are 3 “founding fathers” of the USA?
Which 2 delegates from Georgia signed the U.S. Constitution?
Which 1 document is known as the “supreme law of the land” in the USA?

14. The First Five October , 2013
Agenda Message: Study for the Unit 4 CDA on Wednesday
Today’s Warm-up: Interpret this political cartoon