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Constitution and Ratification (1787-1791) Middle School Teacher Unit Overview

Unit 3 of Building a Self-Governing People BRI’s Civics and U.S. History Curriculum for Middle School, invites students to analyze the problems faced by the new nation under the Articles of Confederation and the creation of the Constitution as a solution. The unit emphasizes the principles of the Constitution, and how those principles shaped the debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification debate.

Published
Oct 30, 2025
Unit 3: Constitution and Ratification (1787-1791)
Analyze the problems faced by the new nation under the Articles of Confederation and the creation of the Constitution as a solution.
Assessment Focus:

Thesis and VIEW Sentences

DBQ/ Essential Question:

What were the principles of the new Constitution, and how did they shape the debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification debate?

Primary Sources:

  • Document A: Brutus I  Robert Yates (1787)
  • Document B: Thomas Jefferson to James Madison (1787)
  • Document C: Constitution Preamble (1787)
  • Document D: James Madison to Thomas Jefferson (1788)
  • Document E: Federalist #51 – James Madison (1788)
DBQ Resources:

Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4
Weaknesses of the Articles Constitutional Convention Ratification Federalism
Guiding Question:

What were the primary problems faced by the United States under the Articles of Confederation?

Guiding Question:

How did principles shape the republican framework of the new constitutional government?

Guiding Question:

What were the key arguments for and against ratification of the Constitution, and how were the debates shaped by constitutional principles?

Guiding Questions:

How does the principle of federalism balance power between the national and state governments?

How did the division of power for the United States shape early American history?

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Principle(s)

  •  Limited Government
Virtue(s)

  •  Prudence

 

Standards