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Lesson

Simulating Popular Sovereignty: The We the People Town Hall

Guiding question

How can a community balance diverse needs and interests to achieve a solution that reflects the will of “We the People?”

Published
Apr 16, 2025
Exterior view of Town Hall with a decorative architectural feature above the entrance.

Objectives

  • Students will analyze the practical application of popular sovereignty through a simulated town hall meeting.
  • Students will consider the challenges of achieving consensus in a diverse society.

Materials

Resources

Lesson Components

ActivitySimulating Popular Sovereignty Handout

How can a community balance diverse needs and interests to achieve a solution that reflects the will of “We the People?”

ActivityPopular Sovereignty and the Preamble to the Constitution Primary Source

The text of the preamble to the Constitution and corresponding comprehension questions.

ActivityAbraham Lincoln’s The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions Primary Source

Help students understand why the rule of law is essential in a free society and the role individual citizens play in maintaining a self-governing society and institutions.

Lesson plan

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Standards

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