Classroom Resource

Race to Ratify

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

5, 7, 10, 12

Overview

This is an interactive game from iCivics. The game is set in 1787, where the ink is still drying on the new Constitution. Will it become the law of the land or will it fall into the dustbin of history? The fate of the young nation is in their hands! Use this game to teach the big ideas at the core of the ratification debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Students will identify the main stances of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists between 1787 and 1789, understand the key debates surrounding the ratification of the constitution, including an extended republic, the House of Representatives, the Senate, executive power, the judiciary, and a bill of rights. Students will interact with the ideas, perspectives, and arguments that defined the ratification debate. They will explore the many different viewpoints, which spanned geographic regions, populations, and socio-economic class. Students will identify the building blocks of the proposed Constitution. They will engage with competing ideas in order to form an effective and cohesive set of arguments for, or against, ratification within a state. This game can be used during a lesson on the constitution to reinforce concepts or after the lesson as an assessment. This game can be played in a whole group or individually.

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Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 5

SS10.5.9

Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.5.9

Vocabulary

  • inadequacies
  • Article of Confederation
  • ratification
  • limitations
  • factions
  • Federalist
  • Anti-Federalist
  • republic
  • powers
  • principles

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation and the impact these had on the creation of the Constitution of the United States.
  • The duties and powers of the three branches of government.
  • The supporters and oppositions of the constitution.
  • The main principles of the bill of rights.
  • The impact of George Washington as president in a republic.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Analyze and describe the impact of government documents.
  • Describe and provide examples of major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution including the duties and powers of the three branches of government.
  • Compare and contrast the positions of various groups involved in historic events, such as the writing of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
  • Analyze primary source documents.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The Articles of Confederation and influential groups and individuals played a role in the development of the United States Constitution.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 7 - 7th Grade: Civics

SS10.7C.6

Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.7C.6

Vocabulary

  • juvenile
  • civil law
  • criminal law
  • rights
  • Bill of Rights
  • rule of law
  • state
  • federal
  • local
  • court
  • offense
  • felony
  • misdemeanor
  • jail
  • prison
  • juvenile detention center

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The similarities and differences between civil and criminal law.
  • The structure of the juvenile court system.
  • The rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Use primary source documents to justify the actions of courts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Laws are different for adults and juveniles and that there are separate civil and criminal laws and courts.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 10 - United States History I

SS10.US1.4

Describe the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.d., A.1.g., A.1.i.]

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.US1.4

Vocabulary

  • political system
  • elements
  • distinguishing
  • ideologies
  • conflicting

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The inadequacies of Articles of Confederation and how these lead to the writing of the Constitution.
  • Personalities, issues, ideologies, and compromises related to the Constitutional Convention and the ratification of the Constitution of the United States.
  • The purpose and effects of the Federalist Papers.
  • Details of the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States.
  • How to interpret the Preamble to the Constitution.
  • The purpose of the separation of powers and how this works in the U.S. federal system.
  • The meaning and purpose of the elastic clause.
  • The purpose of the Bill of Rights and the effects of these amendments.
  • Factors leading to the development and establishment of political parties, including Alexander Hamilton's economic policies, conflicting views of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, George Washington's Farewell Address, and the election of 1800.
  • The reasons for and effects of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Analyze and describe the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States by giving a verbal or written account with characteristics of the political system.
  • Interpret the Preamble of the Constitution, separation of powers, federal system; elastic clause, the Bill of Rights; and the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments by examining these parts.
  • Describe the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation by giving a verbal or written account of the weaknesses.
  • Distinguish personalities, ideas, issues, ideologies and compromises related to the Constitutional by highlighting these differences.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The Constitution replaced a weak Articles of Confederation and provides the basis for governing the United States.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 12 - United States Government

SS10.USG.2

Summarize the significance of the First and Second Continental Congresses, the Declaration of Independence, Shays’ Rebellion, and the Articles of Confederation of 1781 on the writing and ratification of the Constitution of the United States of 1787 and the Bill of Rights of 1791.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.USG.2

Vocabulary

  • reactionary
  • ratification
  • liberalism (Western Civilization meaning)
  • Continental Congress
  • Articles of Confederation
  • American Revolution

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Basic chronology of the American Revolution.
  • Impact of key events in the American Revolution in respect to how they shaped the political goals and ideology of the Founding Fathers.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Place into chronological order key political events of the American Revolution.
  • Interpret primary documents from the American Revolution identifying how key concepts of these led to the formation of American government.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The different events of the American Revolution led to an evolution of the political goals of the Founding Fathers.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 12 - United States Government

SS10.USG.3

Analyze major features of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights for purposes, organization, functions, and principles, including rule of law, federalism, limited government, popular sovereignty, judicial review, separation of powers, and checks and balances.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.USG.3

Vocabulary

  • rule of law
  • federalism
  • limited government
  • popular sovereignty
  • judicial review
  • separation of powers
  • checks and balances
  • ratification
  • Anti-Federalist
  • confederation
  • amending
  • Federalist
  • article of the Constitution

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Key principles of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as well as their meaning.
  • Key arguments given by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists regarding the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
  • The Constitution is an evolving document through both formal and informal means.
  • The process by which an amendment can be added to the U.S. Constitution.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Outline the possible paths taken to ratify an amendment to the Constitution.
  • Interpret how constitutional principles are embedded in current and past issues in US history and politics.
  • Interpret primary documents from both Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
  • Analyze a given passage of the U.S. Constitution to identify how it relates to a key principle of American government.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Many key principles of the Constitution, including judicial review, federalism, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, rule of law, and popular sovereignty, are embedded in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and that their meaning has been debated throughout U.S. history.
Link to Resource
https://www.icivics.org/node/2599424/resource?referer=curriculum/play/all&page_…

CR Resource Type

Interactive/Game

Resource Provider

Other

Resource Provider other

iCivics
Accessibility

Accessibility

Audio resources: includes a transcript or subtitles
Graphics: includes alt tags or long descriptions
Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles
License

License Type

CUSTOM

Custom License Type (URL)

https://www.icivics.org/terms-use

Comments or Notes

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Approved Date

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