The Constitution in Action – Origin of the Bill of Rights: Madison’s Amendments

History is the chronicle of choices made by actors/agents/protagonists in specific contexts. This lesson places students at the First Federal Congress and asks them to respond to the amendments James Madison proposed on June 8, 1789. Which of Madison’s proposals should they amend to the Constitution? Should they consider amendments proposed at state ratifying conventions as well? Whatever they decide, should amendments be placed at the end of the Constitution or woven into the body of the text, as Madison preferred?

http://consource.org/static/lesson-plans/make-a-nation-early-republic/03_Origin_of_the_Bill_of_Rights-Madisons_Amendments.pdf
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Resource provided by ConSource: The Constitutional Sources Project

Grades

11, 12, 9, 10

Subjects

Rights and Responsibilities

Resource Types

Modules (Teaching Unit), Lesson Plans, Primary Sources, Interactives

Teaching Strategies

Analysis, Primary Source, Whole Class, Whole Class Discussion, Whole Class Deliberation, Small Group, Small Group Discussion, Small Group Deliberation, Debate, Simulation/Role-play

Civic Days

Bill of Rights Day, Constitution Day, Law Day

Duration

50 minutes

Constitution Articles

Bill of Rights, Constitutional Convention, Meaning of Constitution

Tags

rights, James Madison, Founders, Framers, Liberties, amendment process