Text of plan of governance proposed by Benjamin Franklin to the delegates of the convention in 1754.

This module examines America's efforts to form a new government after the War for Independence and to draft the Constitution. Includes an interactive activity comparing Thomas Jefferson's and Alexander Hamilton's visions for America, a...

A learning module on the Great Compromise and the role it played in developing the US Constitution in 1787. It includes several supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance...

For this lesson, learners explore the reasons for and outcomes of some of the most impactful resolutions made to form the U.S. Constitution.

Multi-faceted site with hypertexted links to Jefferson's writings, summary of the events leading to the Constitution and the failure of the Articles of Confederation; included is Jefferson's original draft of the "Bill for Establishing...

Review some of the players and concepts of the Constitutional period. The words and names featured were familiar to the early leaders of our nation. Unscramble the letters, then find the right description.

The text of an original letter written by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney to a Mr. Lowndes opposing the independence of the states from each other in favor of the independence of the new nation as a whole.

This site from the University of Groningen provides a synopsis chronologically written on the ratification of the U.S. Constitution beginning with the first states who accepted the document to pressures exerted by the Federalists to...

The new states did a great deal of experimentation within the bounds of the new republican ideals. Read about three very different takes on how a state should be organized governmentally.

10-question multiple choice quiz is immediately scored and covers events pertaining to the U.S. Constittution.

An entry on the life of Alexander Martin, who served briefly in the Continental Army. He was later tried for cowardice, was acquitted but resigned shortly afterward. This did not hurt his political career, however. He was a delegate to...

A short biography of Caleb Strong, a delegate from Massachusetts to the Constitutional Convention, focusing on his role as Governor of Massachusetts in the early 19th century.

This site provides a biography of James McClurg (1746-1823), a noted scientist and doctor in the early days of the United States. He was also a politician. McClurg was part of the Virginia delegation of the Constitutional Convention.

A biography of this delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1788 from Massachusetts. He later served as the American ambassador to England.

A brief biography of Oliver Ellsworth, the delegate from Connecticut to the Constitutional Convention. He also served as a senator and as a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Ushistory.org provides this biography of Edmund Randolph includes highlights of his political career and his role during the Constitutional Convention. Randolph went on to serve as Secretary of State.

A brief biography of William Few, a delegate from Georgia to the Constitutional Convention, and a former member of the United States Senate.

A quick snapshot of what the city of Philadelphia was like in terms of population, wealth, and appearance at the beginning of the Constitutional Convention held there in 1787.

Activity-based resource on the genocide and mass deportation of Armenians from Turkey during WWI. Students investigate whether the treatment of Armenians by the Turkish governmnet fits the definition included in the UN Genocide Convention.

Read Randolph's actual words from the Library of Congress in his proposal and reaction to the New Jersey Plan for solving the representation question in Congress, as recorded by James Madison at the Federal Constitutional Convention.

A thoughtful explanation of the "roadmap" laid out by the head of the military junta as a guide for a national constitutional convention. Many primary source links included.

George Washington had a role in establishing our nation from the Revolutionary War through his presidency. He was a commander, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and a reluctant first President. Analyze his political...

The Convention of 1875 resulted from legislation passed on 19 Mar. 1875 providing for the election of convention delegates in August. Since the adoption of the Constitution of 1868, the North Carolina Democratic Party had wanted to...

New Jersey Plan was presented in the form of eleven resolutions drafted by William Paterson. It detailed a legislature of only one house and featured equal representation in which each state had the same number of representatives thus...