1. Early American Documents
Page 3
What do you call a pig that does karate?
Pork Chop

2. Standard CE.2b
Essential Understanding: American constitutional government is founded on concepts articulated in earlier documents, including the Magna Carta, Charters of the Virginia Company of London, Virginia Declaration of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Virginia Statutes for Religious Freedom.
Essential Question: How does the Constitution of the United States of America reflect previous documents, including the Magna Carta, Virginia Company of London, Virginia Declaration of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom?
Vocabulary: Magna Carta, Charters of the Virginia Company of London, Virginia Declaration of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Virginia Statutes for Religious Freedom, U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights

3. Which fundamental foundation is it???

5. I can’t speed either!

9. Magna Carta
In 1215, English nobles forced King John to sign the Magna Carta which became the first time the monarch’s power had been limited.

10. The Virginia Company

12. Charters of the Virginia Company of London
Guaranteed rights of Englishmen to the colonists.

13. Virginia Declaration of Rights
Served as a model for the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the U.S.
We have rights!

15. Declaration of Independence
Stated grievances against the King of Great Britain

16. Declaration of Independence
Stated grievances against the King of Great Britain
Declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain

17. Declaration of Independence
Stated grievances against the King of Great Britain
Declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain
Affirmed “certain unalienable rights” (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness”

18. Declaration of Independence
Stated grievances against the King of Great Britain
Declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain
Affirmed “certain unalienable rights” (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness”
Established idea that all people are equal under the law.

19. Dramatic Reading of the “Declaration of Independence”

21. Too late to apologize!

23. On the left side of your notebook today, divide your paper into four squares. Label each square with one of the documents we learned today, and illustrate it in a way that will help you remember it.
Charters of the Virginia Company of London
Magna Carta
Virginia Declaration of Rights
Declaration of Independence

24. Why did the golfer change his socks?
Early American Documents continued
Page 5
Why did the golfer change his socks?
He had a hole in one!

25. What is the main point of each of the four documents we discussed from page 3?

26. Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Freedom of religious beliefs and opinion

27. Articles of Confederation
Established the first form of national government for the independent states

28. Articles of Confederation
Established the first form of national government for the independent states
Maintained that major powers resided with individual states

29. Articles of Confederation
Established the first form of national government for the independent states
Maintained that major powers resided with individual states
Weakness of central government (no power to tax and enforce laws) led to the writing of the Constitution of the U.S.

30. Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of Rights
Establishes the structure of the U.S. government

31. Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of Rights
Establishes the structure of the U.S. government
Guarantees equality under the law with the majority rule and the rights of the minority protected

32. Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of Rights
Establishes the structure of the U.S. government
Guarantees equality under the law with the majority rule and the rights of the minority protected
Affirms individual worth and dignity of all people

33. Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of Rights
Establishes the structure of the U.S. government
Guarantees equality under the law with the majority rule and the rights of the minority protected
Affirms individual worth and dignity of all people
Protects the fundamental freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition
Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments.

34. On the left-hand side of your notebook, draw lines so that the page is divided into three rectangles. In each one, illustrate one of today’s documents in a way that helps you understand it. Be sure to label them.
Articles of Confederation
We will watch a video about the Constitution while you do this!
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
U.S. Constitution

35. 22 minute video on writing the Constitution