Lesson
Articles of Confederation
Guiding question
What was the challenge facing the United States at the beginning of 1787?
Guiding Questions:
- What was the challenge facing the United States at the beginning of 1787?
- How did the Articles of Confederation limit the effectiveness of the new government?
- How did the Constitution address those challenges?
Objectives:
- Students will identify necessary powers for an effective government.
- Students will identify the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
- Students will compare the government created by the Articles of Confederation with the government created by the Constitution.
Materials
Lesson Components
An activity that explores the differences between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.
An activity that explores the differences between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.
Lesson plan
Standards
Related materials
Have you ever looked at your teacher with a puzzled face when they explain history? I know we have. In our new Homework Help Series we break down history into easy to understand 5 minute videos to support a better understanding of American History. In our eighth episode, we tackle the Articles of Confederation and the need for a Constitution.
In 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first government of the independent United States. The Articles created a "confederacy," an association of sovereign states. Every state was its own country, except with respect to those powers expressly delegated to the U.S. Congress, and it agreed to do certain things for and with the other states in the confederacy. But by the mid-1780s, more and more people were becoming concerned about problems with the Articles.
How do We the People are better able to protect and advance freedom and opportunity for all?