Student Resources:

• Articles of Confederation Essay 

Engage 

• Begin class by asking students what they know about the Articles of Confederation. Write student answers on the board. Examples include, “the first governing document of the United States” and “the weak government that was reformed with the Constitution.” 

 Explore 

• Distribute the Articles of Confederation Essay. Tell students: As you read, highlight sentences that you believe depict problems with the Articles of Confederation. 

Assess & Reflect

• Once students finish reading, have them write a paragraph explaining in their own words the issues with the structure of the government under the Articles of Confederation as well as the events that drove for calls to replace it.   

Extend (Optional)

• For a more thorough examination of the flaws of the Articles, use the Comparing the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution lesson from this curriculum.