Lesson
Popular Sovereignty and the Consent of the Governed
Guiding question
What is the proper role and function of government in a democratic society?
The Founders believed that the government’s authority needed to come from the people. Under the reign of King George III, the colonists believed that they were deprived of their opportunity to consent to be governed by Parliament through representatives, and, therefore, the British could not force their laws upon the colonies. The Founders made sure to uphold this right in the American Constitution. The people, through their representatives at state ratification conventions, had to ratify the document in order for it to become law.
Founding Principles
Guiding Questions
- What is the proper role and function of government in a democratic society?
- Why is consent necessary in government?
- What rights do people have in the U.S., and where do they get those rights?
Objectives
- Students will describe the relationship between citizens and government.
- Students will explain the importance of consent in a democracy.
- Students will explain the reasons for the American Revolution.
- Students will compare and contrast different philosophies around consent and popular sovereignty.
Materials
Lesson Components
EssayEssay: Popular Sovereignty and the Consent of the Governed
The Founders believed that the government’s authority needed to come from the people. Under the reign of King George III, the colonists believed that they were not consenting to be governed by the British government through representatives, and, therefore, the British could not force their laws upon the colonies. The Founders made sure to uphold this right in the American Constitution. The people, through their representatives at state ratification conventions, had to ratify the document in order for it to become law.
Lesson plan
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Key Terms
- Bill of Rights
- Declaration of Independence
- King George III
- direct
- republic