CPALMS
Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Enlightenment Ideas and the Founding Fathers
A tutorial that looks at the ideas from the Enlightenment that influenced the Founding Fathers, particularly those of John Locke and Montesquieu. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Advice and Consent: Supreme Court Nominations (Lesson Plan)
A lesson that explains the role of checks and balances in U.S. system of government. Students will describe the process of selecting justices for the Supreme Court, will examine past Supreme Court cases, and will discuss how the Supreme...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: The Federal System
Outline of the principles embedded in a Federal System of government attempting to balance states' rights with the need for a central government.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Challenges Faced by the New Nation
[Free Registration/Login Required] This unit covers the content area featuring the challenges faced by the new nation including the writing of the Constitution, government powers, the Bill of Rights and the War of 1812.
iCivics
I Civics: Montesquieu Mini Lesson
Meet the Baron de Montesquieu, one of the great thinkers of the 18th century. He spent a lot of time thinking about how governments should be created and maintained. These ideas guided the Founding Fathers when they wrote the...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: The Legislative Branch: The Reach of Congress
This well-written and well-organized site from The Legislative Branch provides a thorough overview of congressional powers, inherent checks and balances, as well as links to related information.
Digital History
Digital History: Writing a Constitution [Pdf]
This site is from a unit called 'Writing the US Constitution.' It looks at the documents that preceded the Constitution, and the major issues that were debated while the Constitution was being created.
Digital History
Digital History: Completing a Final Draft
Read about the committee that produced a final draft of the Constitution to present to the entire Constitutional Convention. Find out what the delegates to the convention kept in the final draft and what they changed.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: After the Fact: Virginia, New Yok, and "The Federalist Papers"
Read about the necessity for Virginia and New York to support the ratification of the Constitution. See what influenced the vote in Virginia and how the legislature of New York was finally convinced.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: A New Nation
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart reviews the 3 main branches of government and its system of checks and balances. Web links and 3tudent assessment items are included.
US National Archives
National Archives: The Constitution in Action: Article Ii
This activity can be used during a unit on the U.S. Constitution. Middle schoolers will analyze the Senate Journal of the First Congress and identify how the document demonstrates content contained within Article II of the Constitution...
Social Studies for Kids
Social Studies for Kids: The Presidential Veto
The President of the United States has extraordinary power over the shaping of federal laws. He or she can veto any law passed by Congress.