1. Foundations of American Democracy through Primary Sources
US to Module 5
Foundations of American Democracy through Primary Sources

2. Table of Contents Introduction Academic Vocabulary Assignment
Links to the Enlightenment online
Links to John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government and Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence
Comparing Locke and Rousseau
Enlightened Foundations Essay Project
Revolutionary Period Events Scavenger Hunt
Constructing a Timeline of Movements, Writings, and Events
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

3. Introduction
The United States did not invent the concepts around limited government and democracy. A topic that teachers may want to explore is how the United States is a product of the
Renaissance: Washington, D.C., a constructed city whose architecture is symbolically related to the Renaissance, with many of them modeled after Greek and Roman architectural concepts. An recommended activity is to have students zoom into Washington, D.C. using Google Earth. Make sure the “3D Buildings” box is checked on the layer label on the left hand pane.
Reformation: The very belief that religion is personal and that those challenging church doctrine be free to find their faith in their own way is not only engrained in the fabric of American society, teachers can use primary sources such as the Toleration Act of Maryland (1649) as well as other less noted documents to show the tradition of religious freedom to students.
Enlightenment: The subject of this module, blended both of the above elements into an intellectual and political philosophy of “Natural Rights”, a philosophy clearly mirrored in the Declaration of Independence and other operational documents like the U.S. Constitution.
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

4. Vocabulary Activity
Using the Frayer Model vocabulary activity, build retention of both project vocabulary and CSO aligned vocabulary through pairing and sharing group vocabulary development or individually constructed work.
Use student self assessment tool on the Frayer handout in order to check for understanding of vocabulary before starting online investigations, writings, and project work.
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

5. Vocabulary Lists Academic Vocabulary for Module
Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment, Natural Rights Philosophy, Declaration of Independence, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Olive Branch Petition
Content Standards and Objectives /Westest II Terms
Constitutional democracy, individual rights, liberty, democratic principles, primary sources, Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, political leadership, Bill of Rights, framers, sovereignty
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

6. For Vocabulary Development-Directions on Following Slides
Frayer Model
For Vocabulary Development-Directions on Following Slides

7. Definition from dictionary (suggested site: www.dictionary.com):
Definition in your own words:
Examples/Facts/Characteristics
What does it look like in art,
Graphics or maps:
Non Examples/Opposite
Vocabulary Term
Democracy
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

8. Democracy Vocabulary Term DEMOCRACY
Definition from dictionary (suggested site: government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.
Definition in your own words: a type of government
where the people vote for their representatives and
have the ultimately say in what happens.
Examples/Facts/Characteristics
-people establish government
-majority rules
-written laws and constitution
-elections
-United States
-Ancient Greece
-Ancient Rome
-Great Britain
What does it look like in art, graphics, maps:
Non Examples/Opposite
-Cuba
-North Korea
-China
-Saudi Arabia
-Iran
Vocabulary Term
DEMOCRACY
Democracy
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

9. The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment thinkers that tried to frame a new political mindset included John Locke, author of Two Treatises on Government and Jean Jacques Rousseau, author of The Social Contract.
Although The Social Contract does outline the role of government as protector and was used somewhat more by the French in their Revolution around the time of the American Revolution, Locke’s Two Treatises on Government was more significant in the development of the American model of government and the philosophy of the founders as outlined by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence.
Scientific and religious foundations of the Enlightenment topic at Copy and paste the following link to your browser. Use presentation, text, and documents from the website to reinforce the role of John Locke in the Enlightenment well before the American Revolution.
History I/course files/multimedia/lesson08/lessonp.html?showTopic=1
The Great Declaration topic at gives a strong overview of Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. Copy and past the following link to your browser. There is a presentation, text, and documents that outlines the writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
History I/course files/multimedia/lesson12/lessonp.html?showTopic=1
Go to the next slide to find dowloadable documents of Locke’s Two Treatises on Government and Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence.
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

10. Links to Primary Sources
The following documents can be downloaded and printed for students to add to project folders. Saving documents to digital folders and reading on computers if available can make much of the project paperless if desired.
Teachers should point their web browsers to:
Locke’s Two Treatises on Government
Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

11. Comparing Enlightened Thinkers
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

12. Enlightened Thinkers Essay
After having read excerpts (or whole) primary documents and having gone through the assigned topics on Hippocampus, complete the following essay:
Give evidence that Thomas Jefferson borrowed concepts established by writers of the Enlightenment nearly 100 years before the writing of his Declaration of Independence. Explain how documents like Two Treastise’s on Government, The Social Contract, and the Declaration of Independence have been models for modern democracy movements in Europe, Japan, and most recently, the revolutions in the Arab World.
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

13. Enlightened Thinkers Writing Rubric
Download the rubric that accompanies this module for the essay.
Writing is based on
Distinguished,
Above Mastery,
Mastery, and
Partial Mastery
Categories that should be measured are:
Content
Depth of Understanding
Clarity
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

14. Revolution Period Scavenger Hunt & Timeline Project
Find the following terms online and the date for which they are significant. Students should construct a timeline by researching dates, documents, and other items that can be placed on a poster for a class exhibit showcasing their timelines. Making a digital timeline with presentation software is acceptable as well.
Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment, Declaration of Independence, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Olive Branch Petition
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

15. Gallery Walk and Presentations
Students can hang posters, tri-folds, and other presentations on the walls and tables throughout the room.
Some students may opt to build a video timeline, PowerPoint timeline, a website, or something digitally creative as their media choice of presenting.
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017

16. Student Self Assessment
Hand out student self-assessment tool as an evaluation tool for the project.
Mark Swiger 2011
3/28/2017