While today, people laud the accomplishments of the United States Constitution, pupils sometimes forget that the Articles of Confederation came first. The documents—while flawed—raised questions of government duties and obligations as well as power. Short video clips give pupils insight into various historians' perspectives on the Articles and how they led to the Constitution. 

Concepts

the articles of confederation, american history, the constitution, the american revolution, origins of american government

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use video segments to stimulate debate about the failures and successes of the Articles of Confederation
• Create a graphic organizer to pair with the videos for students to distinguish between differing historical perspectives

Classroom Considerations

• To view the three short clips, teachers must create an account or use the following details: Username - students, Password: C-SPANCLASSROOM

Pros

• Videos offer clear ways of contrasting different historical perspectives
• Resource links to additional videos on the Articles of Confederation

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.6-8.1 RH.6-8.2 RH.6-8.4 RH.6-8.6 RH.6-8.10 RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.4 RH.9-10.6 RH.9-10.10 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.4 RH.11-12.6 RH.11-12.10