The American Vision © 2010

Unit 1: Creating a Nation, Beginnings to 1789

Historical Thinking Activities

Follow the steps below to locate and find primary sources, and then use those sources to write an essay that describes the debate over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Assignment Task List
Step 1: Review how to analyze primary sources. See "Analyzing Primary Sources" on page R19 of the Skills Handbook.

Step 2: Read primary sources related to the debates between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Select two or more of the primary sources to use as source material to write your essay, or conduct a library or Internet search to find primary sources relevant to this topic.

PDF Sources:

James Madison to Edmund Randolph, October 21, 1787:
http://www.consource.org/index.asp?bid=582&documentid=441

James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, October 24, 1787:
http://www.constitution.org/jm/17871024_tj.htm

Federalist No. 51:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed51.asp

Letters from the Federal Farmer to the Republican I:
http://www.constitution.org/afp/fedfar01.htm

Federalist No. 84:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed84.asp

"John DeWitt" No. 2:
http://www.constitution.org/afp/dewitt02.htm

Step 3: Analyze the sources to determine the main argument or arguments put forth in each source.

Step 4: Determine the point of view of the author of each primary source.

Step 5: Write the essay. Interpret the arguments of your selected primary sources in your own words In your essay, you should first explain the main idea(s) of each source's writer. Then, based on that analysis, you should draw a conclusion that answers the question: From the point of view of each writer, why was the U.S. Constitution a good plan of government or a bad plan of government?

Step 6: Review your work against the checklist below. Have you included all elements of a well written essay? Revise your essay as needed.