Congratulations!

Congratulations on successfully completing your mid-term exam. Those students who completed the study guide added significantly to their final scores. You persisted (habit of mind), you worked on accuracy (habit of mind), and you communicated with clarity (habit of mind). Great job!

Constitutional Scavenger Hunt

We started off the new semester with an outline of the Constitution and the scavenger hunt. Working in your groups you should have completed most of the questions from Article I, the legislative branch. Let me remind you that you do have a handful of questions that you need to research as the responses cannot be found in your text (another reason why good historians use multiple sources). Next week we will continue working on the scavenger hunt using the remaining articles of the Constitution.

Next week the President is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union Address (see Article II, section 3) and you will have a homework assignment that asks you to watch some of the address and report on what you saw, heard and felt. The State of the Union Address is high drama and great theatre so make sure to tune in and watch this important event.

Reminder

Current events will continue on Wednesday, January 30 and your event must be linked to the Constitution. You should also return your portfolio to the classroom. Papers from the first semester are no longer needed.

A Time to Remember

A Day and a Man to Remember

Let us all take time to remember Dr. Martin Luther King and the great service and sacrifices he made for this country. He articulated a grand vision for our country, much like the original founders. Ask yourself what you have done or could do to support King’s dream of a country that treats all of its people with respect and dignity.

Current Events and the Constitution

The Constitution and its system of checks and balances were featured in our review of current events this week. Using a variety of newspapers, you found articles that linked to the Constitution. Our checks and balances worksheet asked how the Legislature could balance or restrain the Chief Executive in exercising the duties of “Commander in Chief” of the armed forces. Many of you responded by citing Article I, section 8, which gives Congress the right to appropriate or not appropriate funds for the armed services. One student even suggested that Congress could stop the President through the impeachment process, an extreme measure but one we hear advocated from time to time. Understanding how the Constitution is structured, with its series of checks and balances and separation of powers, will give us a better understanding of the confrontations that occur between the President and Congress.

Back in 1787 not all supported the new Constitution. The Anti-Federalists feared a strong central government and the lack of a Bill of Rights. The ratification process took several months as Federalists defended the new government with a series of essays now called The Federalist Papers, authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. Your ratification worksheet will walk you through the major issues and debates of the time that ultimately led to all thirteen states approving the new government. Rhode Island was the last of the original thirteen states to approve the Constitution.

Midterm Exam

Our exam is Tuesday, so here are a few recommendations to help you prepare:

Use the study guide to focus your study time; the study guide is worth up to 10 extra points and must be handed in before taking the test at 7:30.

Terms, events and key people need to be understood in context and not as isolated vocabulary words.

Use your portfolio assignments to support your understanding of key concepts and skills.

When using your text, use the special summary guide, the end of chapter reviews and the graphics and images…a picture is worth a thousand words!

Use the blog: start with September and read the weekly entries; by reading the entries you will have a review of our entire semester, and the live links will give you the opportunity to review events, ideas, or skills about which you may still have questions.

Our Local Economy

The Newport Daily News is running a series of articles this week on the local economy (money...we are all interested in money). I was especially interested in the article in today’s paper that spoke about the type of person that is getting hired. One employer stressed that he was looking for “reliable and dependable workers.” He went on to say that he could teach the technical skills needed for the job but those training sessions are useless unless the person is “reliable and dependable.” School is your opportunity to practice the skills that you will need to be successful in the work place or in college. This time of year, our half way point, is a perfect time to reflect on strengths and weaknesses and to make a plan for improvement.

We the People...

This week we had the opportunity to step back in time and recreate the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Leaders from the states (all except Rhode Island...what an independent minded state!) gathered in Philadelphia to correct the many weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Your introductions of the various leaders showed us that all the members were men, all were white and many were lawyers. It is interesting to note that the top three contenders for the democratic presidential nomination are lawyers and their spouses are lawyers. I wonder how our government might have been different if more farmers and small business owners had helped write the Constitution. I wonder if our government would be different today if a greater variety of professions sought out political offices.

The first major disagreement came between those members who wanted to amend the Articles and those who wanted to draft a new document. James Madison, “Father of the Constitution,” was able to move the participants in the direction of a new document by offering the Virginia Plan. One of your worksheets this week gave you the opportunity to compare the Virginia Plan, the New Jersey Plan and the final compromise sometimes know as the Connecticut Plan or the Great Compromise. Compromise was at the heart of the deliberations as issues came up that could have quickly divided the Convention. Another volatile issue was how to count slaves in determining each state’s representation in the House. No one was talking about actually having the slaves represented, but the Southern states wanted their numbers included in the population count for the distribution of seats in the House. The Three-fifths Compromise counted a portion of the slaves for the purposes of a population count.

The Constitutional Convention came up with a stronger national government system that contained a separation of powers between the three branches (legislative, executive and judicial) and provided for checks and balances. The Constitution balanced power among the branches and allowed for changes (amendments). The Constitution also contained a complex method of electing the President by establishing the Electoral College. The Founders were clearly concerned that “the people” may not always make the best decisions. Voters in each state would select electors who would select the President. Each state would get electoral votes based on the number of its representatives in the House plus the two Senators. Rhode Island has four electoral votes (2 members in the House plus 2 members of the Senate equals four).

Once the Constitution was written, it had to go before the people for ratification. Your worksheet for this section will help you organize the arguments in favor of the Constitution (Federalists) and the arguments against it (Anti-federalists). As you read section 3 in Chapter 5 of the text you will see that the deciding factor to support or not support the Constitution came down to the addition of the Bill of Rights. The Anti-federalists were very clear that they would withhold their support unless there was a guarantee that personal liberties would be clearly listed in a Bill of Rights.

Over the weekend you have an assignment that gives you the opportunity to identify our elected officials in 1787 and today. A picture/photo is part of the assignment so that you will start to recognize your representatives in the paper, on the news, or walking down the sidewalk. Rhode Island is the smallest state in the Union and you have ample opportunity to see our representatives. By including the photo in the assignment you will have extra confidence when you see them, so walk up, put out your hand and introduce yourself. In a few short years you will be a voter and you will want to learn more about these people as they vie for your vote. They will be anxious to shake your hand as studies have found that voters are more likely to vote for someone who has shaken their hand. Next time you watch one of the presidential candidates, notice how they work any large group of people...lots of glad handing!


Mid Year Exam Time

It is time for mid term exams and I hope you see this event as an opportunity to show your understanding of early American history. As you prepare for the exam, make sure to use your portfolio assignments, your text, study guide and the trusty blog!

The study guide will be distributed on Monday and is worth up to ten extra points. More details on that opportunity on Monday. MHS has also set aside Friday as our review day and our class has been moved to 11:00.

When reviewing the material keep in mind that we have been telling the story of the founding of our country. Think about the place, the plot and the characters involved. Try to get away from memorizing facts and think of how you would tell someone the story of colonization and settlement in the three regions (standard 1). How would you tell about the events leading up to the American Revolution and then the writing of our Constitution (standard 2)? It may be helpful to work with a parent or sibling who could listen and then ask you questions.

If you have kept up during the semester and you give yourself ample time to review the material, you should be confident on the day of your exam. The night before, check to make sure you have your study guide, as they will be collected prior to taking the exam. You may use pen or pencil for the exam. Come prepared and bring along a positive attitude.


231 Years Ago

“Common Sense” is celebrating its 231st birthday on January 15. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet clearly outlined the common sense arguments for the colonies to break away from England. In addition, he argued that people could establish their own governments and did not need kings or queens. As we discussed when we read portions of this 47-page document, it is considered the most influential pamphlet every written. It would not be surprising if you were asked about “Common Sense” on your mid-term exam!

Time for a Convention

We have started off the New Year with a preview of the Constitution. A good understanding of the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights will enable all of us to better understand current events, particularly during this exciting Election Year. We will focus a lot of attention on the Constitution and how our government operates today, and our study of current events will allow us to see our Constitution in action!

Our first reading focused on the difficulties the states were having after the War. Each state had its own government and currency. The Articles of Confederation formed a loose alliance among the states that left little power to the national Congress, which had no power to collect taxes or regulate trade.

With the debt of war weighing on every state, local taxes had to be raised to a high level. This led to a sharp division between the debtors - mostly farmers and small merchants – and the wealthy landowners and bankers. Some states had sold bonds to finance the war, and now the bond holders wanted their payments. In Massachusetts (known as the land of “hotheads”) some farmers banded together to oppose the new taxes. This armed resistance was known as Shay’s Rebellion. The Nationalists who wanted a strong central government feared this uprising and used this event to encourage the states to form a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation. Advocates of state’s rights and individual liberty, such as Thomas Jefferson, supported the uprising as an example of individual liberty and people petitioning the government to make changes.

This issue of supporting or not supporting government action is still with us today. For example, some citizens have protested against the war in Iraq, calling it a misdirected policy, while others have criticized them for being unpatriotic. Citizens also disagree on the role government should play on issues like health care and protecting the environment.

The Convention Begins

On Tuesday we will reenact the opening of the Constitutional Convention. On Friday you worked with a partner to gather information about one of the delegates. As you prepare your name tent and introduction, ask yourself why this person was chosen to represent their state at the Convention. What unique experiences or perspectives did they bring?

As you will see in this section of the text, compromise became the key to the final writing of the document. What does it mean to compromise? Can compromises be found on every issues? Has the ability to compromise played a role in your life?

We will look at some key issues the Convention dealt with and see how the participants found compromises that balanced liberty and order.

Portfolio Update

We are due for an update as I return your accountable talk score and your take-home questions for The American Revolution. Many of you did a great job on the take-home questions. You thought about the issues and tried to put yourself in the shoes of the Colonists during this difficult time. Congratulations to all who met the deadline!

“Welcoming Baba Noel”

The Providence Journal ran a front page story on a family from Iraq that recently relocated to Providence. As I read the story I thought of the earliest colonists coming to this country for a better future, and how in 2007 the same hopes and aspirations inspired a family from Iraq. They were forced out of a country torn apart by violence and limited opportunities and drawn to our country by hope for a better future.

Thank you Nick

National Treasure: Book of Secrets has been the top box office seller for the past three weeks. It is great to see a story based on historical events reach so many movie goers. It is an added source of pleasure for Middletown because the star of the movie, Nicholas Cage, is now a resident of our town.

Current Events

Our next assignment is due January 9, the day of the New Hampshire primary. It will be interesting to compare the results of the Iowa caucus with the New Hampshire results. The tension is mounting as both parties grapple with issues that will determine who wins the White House in November 2008. This is the first time in 50 years that an incumbent President or Vice President is not running, so the field is wide open for new faces in both parties. History in the making!!

A New Year…A Time for Resolutions

The beginning of a new year is a great time to pause and think about your goals and aspirations not only for the year 2008 but for the long term. The work habits, skills, and knowledge you are acquiring in high school will be the foundation for your future success. If you learn to set goals, establish work plans, and practice good study and living habits now, you can be assured of meeting future challenges with success. I have never encountered a person who wished they had studied less, read fewer books, gotten lower grades, or ignored their friends and community. So take the time at the start of this fresh and exciting year to write down two or three goals for 2008. Keep them handy, refer to them often and strive to complete your tasks at hand. You will never regret taking the time to contemplate your future and to plan accordingly.