Students will understand how the debate over the First National Bank reflected controversy in the early republic over the application of the principle of federalism.
Begin class by asking students, “What levels of government exist in our country? How do they impact your daily life?” Students should understand the three levels: national, state, and local. Examples include, “national level is responsible for protecting us from foreign enemies;” “state level is responsible for education standards;” “local level is responsible formaintaining roads and a police force.”
Explore
Distribute the Federalism and the National Bank Essay. As students read, have them highlight arguments in favor of the national bank in one color, and arguments against the national bank in another color.
Assess & Reflect
Have students review their highlighted sections. In their own words, they should write a paragraph on the arguments for and against a national bank and also defend their own opinion on if they would have sided with Hamilton or Jefferson. Collect the essays.
To finish, lead the class in a discussion. Use the guiding question: “How did the division of power for the United States shape early American history?” specifically in the context of the national bank.
