The Bill of Rights: Debating the Amendments

Provide your class with an opportunity to investigate an important historical document. Without identifying the document, distribute copies of the original Bill of Rights, as transcribed by John Beckley, Clerk of the House of Representatives. Beckley’s version was distributed to the states for ratification but some of the articles were eliminated before the Bill of Rights, as it now reads, was adopted. Armed with this background information, groups analyze specific amendments and try to persuade the class to adopt their amendment. The lesson plan ends with class members voting by secret ballot to ratify or reject the amendments.