US National Archives
Nara: Founding Fathers: New Hampshire
Gives biographical details on the two delegates from New Hampshire to the Constitutional Convention: Nicholas Gilman and John Langdon.
US National Archives
Nara: Founding Fathers: South Carolina
Gives biographical details on the four delegates from South Carolina to the Constitutional Convention: Pierce Butler, Charles Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and John Rutledge.
University of Virginia
Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: James Madison
The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia provides an extensive biography on the life of James Madison. Provides information about his life before and after the presidency as well as his policies on foreign and domestic...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Ratifying the Constitution
The delegates to the Constititional Convention produced a new governing document for the new United States. Read about how they determined to take the ratification process to the people of the states.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Political Experience
Read about how the state governments in the new American nation served as the laboratory to try out new ideas of governing and treating citizens. See how remarkably similar the ideas put forth in state constitutions were to each other.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Classroom: The Constitutional Convention
Travel back to 1787 and become a delegate to the convention in Philadelphia. As the Founding Fathers struggle to decide how the young nation will be governed, explore how very different men representing their states' conflicting...
Ohio Test Prep
Ohio Test Prep: u.s. Constitution
Video test preparation module for Social Studies on the U.S. Constitution teaches students about provisions and compromises made during the Constitutional Convention and how the terms reflect Enlightenment thinking.
US National Archives
Docsteach: The Voting Record of the Constitution
In this activity, students will analyze a primary source document to find relevant historical data and measure the degree of agreement and disagreement during the Constitutional Convention.
US National Archives
Docsteach: To Sign or Not to Sign
Middle schoolers will consider the arguments made by members of the Continental Congress regarding whether or not to sign the Declaration of Independence. They will also have the opportunity to analyze each section of the Declaration to...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Tough Issues
Read about the change of plans when delegates to the Philadelphia convention decided to write a new constitution to replace the Articles of Convention. See the ideas delegates had to address concerns of large and small states.
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Colonial Williamsburgh: Meet the People: George Wythe
A short biographical sketch on George Wythe, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from Virginia.
US Department of State
Office of the Historian: Constitutional Convention and Ratification
Among the many weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was the inability of the government to conduct foreign policy in an effective manner. Find out how the Constitutional Convention addressed this issue by allowing the Executive...
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Colonial Williamsburg: Edmund Randolph Fact Sheet
This site provides some insight into Randolph's family as well as political life.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Founding Fathers
This site provides a very brief description of three of the founding fathers of the Constitution: Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington. The site provides links to further biographies of all three men as well as...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Founding Fathers: Edmund Randolph
The major focus of this site is Randolph's role in the creation of the Constitution and his views on the structure of the executive branch of government.
University of North Carolina
Unc: Reminiscences & Memoirs of John H. Wheeler
The full text of John Wheeler's memoirs (478 pages) in which he writes a history of North Carolina by talking about its famous citizens. He has a lengthy section on Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr. in which he discusses his life and how he...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: George Washington: The First Administration
Read about George Washington's presidency. See why his role was so important in setting precedents to be followed by future chief executives. Find out about some of the warts in his personality too, all of which made him more human.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Historic Valley Forge: Major General Alexander Hamilton
A short biography of Alexander Hamilton containing information on his military service during the American Revolution as well as his later life in politics.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Resource Study: Charles Pinckney National Historic Site [Pdf]
A scholarly publication which examines the archaeological findings of Snee Farm, the plantation and house owned by Charles Pinckney, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from South Carolina. Click on "Table of Contents" to get a...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History Period 3: 1754 1800: The American Revolution
This Khan Academy resource provides video lessons, detailed notes, and practice questions for the AP U.S. History Exam. The years 1754-1800 are covered.
Soylent Communications
Notable Names Database: Edmund Randolph
A short biography of this delegate from Virginia to the Constitutional Convention. He is the author of the "Virginia Plan" and he later became the first attorney general of the United States.
Soylent Communications
Nndb: Charles Pinckney
A short but detailed biography of this delegate from South Carolina to the Constitutional Convention. He later served as governor of the state.
Soylent Communications
Notable Names Database: James Wilson
A short but detailed biography of this delegate to the Constitutional Convention from Pennsylvania. Wilson later served as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.