Why not start off with a bang?!  Unit One is the most important unit of the year (maybe of your entire life!), as we examine the development of the American form of government and understand what it means to be an active citizen in a democracy. We will begin by having an introduction to government and revisit the sacred document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. We will then examine the strengths and weaknesses of the first form of government in the new United States - the Articles of Confederation. We will recreate the Constitutional Convention as each young historian will research and portray the role of one of the Framers of the American constitution. We will discuss how the document was truly a "bundle of compromises", and also how it wasn’t completely popular at the time. After a fun test, we will focus on the structure and function of the current American government, the Bill of Rights, and the important aspects of citizenship in the United States. Hold on to your horses - GOVERNMENT WEEK is coming very soon! This unit will serve as the foundation for the rest of the school year, as we see the government of our nation play the key role in the development of the U.S.  We will also be gaining a great deal of information that will help make our 2011 D.C. trip even better than ever.