How can the idea of “We the people” help us understand the history of the early United States?
First edition. May 2018.
Teachers: Are you still using A More Perfect Union: American Independence and the Constitution OR The Challenge to the New Republic: The War of 1812? We retired those units and recommend that you no longer use them. This unit serves an updated and improved replacement for those units. Please contact our office at choices@brown.edu if you have any questions.
The story of the founding years of the United States is often told from the perspective of the elite political leaders who crafted the country’s founding documents. While these individuals played major roles in the early history of the United States, the contributions and experiences of other important groups and individuals are often overlooked. A New Nation engages students with this range of experiences, asking students to consider the opportunities, hardships, aspirations, and questions facing people across society in the early years of the new nation. We the People: A New Nation covers events and experiences in the early decades of the United States, spanning from 1783 to 1830. The unit is divided into three parts. Each part includes:
- Student readings
- Accompanying study guides, graphic organizers, and key terms
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Lessons aligned with the readings that develop analytical skills and can be completed in one or more periods
- Videos that feature leading experts
This unit also includes an Options Role Play as the key lesson and additional synthesis lessons that allow students to synthesize new knowledge for assessment. You do not need to use the entire unit; feel free to select what suits your classroom needs.
Preview this unit. Preview includes the Table of Contents for the Student Text and the Teacher Resource Book as well as a student reading excerpt and one lesson plan.