After independence was declared, Americans were faced with creating a new form of government that would embody the ideals for which they had fought. |
Social Studies 4-4.5: Compare the social and economic policies of the two political parties that were formed in American in the 1790s. |
Essential Question: How were the two political parties of the 1790’s different socially and economically?
Learning Tasks / Activities:
Ø The teacher will closely read the Interactive Essential Text with students. During this time it is important to discuss the essential question, define key vocabulary, code the text (political, geographic, economic, and social) to discuss the content and clarify any misconceptions. The teacher and student will interact with the text. The following tasks are to strengthen, to deepen, and to enhance the indicator content and connect to the key concept question. Ø Students will view the Discovery Education video clip “1791-1792 First Political Parties are Formed, Bill of Rights Approved” (1:47 long.). They will analyze the video using the video analysis sheet. (DOK 2-3) Ø Students will read closely pages 364, 368, and 369 in the textbook Scott Foresman Social Studies Building a Nation. They will answer Political Parties text discussion questions about the text in small group and/or whole class discussions and/or notebook responses. (DOK 1-3) Alternate Option- Students can choose one of the political parties discussed in the text and complete the Power Strategy organizer Political Parties Write About It to show their understanding of the characteristics of the party and summarize their impact on the country. (DOK 1-3) Ø Students will read pages 24-27 in the Capstone eBook US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and a New Nation. They will complete the Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two political parties. (DOK 1-3) Ø Students will read “Political Parties in Early America.” Students will choose one of the two political parties to join and will then compose a letter to a friend trying to persuade him/her to join as well using the Political Party Persuasion Letter form. (DOK 2-3) Ø Students will read the Discovery Education Encyclopedia article “Political Parties in the United States.” Students will complete the Political Party Comparisons sheet. (DOK 1-3) |
It is essential for students to know:
Social and economic differences among Americans and the differing ideas of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton helped form two political parties in the 1790s. The Federalist Party was led by Alexander Hamilton. Federalists included businessmen, large landowners, and professional people who believed that the country should grow and expand through industrialization. These Federalists felt that the federal government should be should be led by educated persons and have a sound financial system in order to grow. This would require a system of taxes to repay national debts (to war allies and those who served the new United States or loaned it money) and a National Bank to handle these matters. The Federalists, who had supported the writing and ratification of the Constitution, wanted the new federal government to be more powerful than the state governments in order to have a stronger and more unified country, rather than the loose union (confederation or confederacy) of states it was under the Articles of Confederation. Despite the fact that the US was independent from the British mother country, the Federalists believed in the heritage of English traditions (such as the rights of Englishmen) and they therefore wanted their governments to be modeled after the British government that all former colonists were used to. Thomas Jefferson led the Democratic-Republican or the Jeffersonian Republican Party. The Democratic-Republicans included mostly farmers and common people. Jefferson believed that the United States would be an agrarian society. His followers believed that most of the power of government should lie in the state governments because they were closer to the common man (who was wise because of his close ties to his soil and therefore did not need education) and that the federal government should therefore remain weak. Republicans (short name-but not to be confused at all with the modern, present-day party) admired the French, because the French had been the major allies of the US in the Revolution and they believed the new French government to be following in the footsteps of the American Revolution. |