CurriculumGrade 5Social Studies

Writing the Constitution

Aligned to C3.D2.His.9 — C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.

What this lesson teaches

After winning independence, the new nation needed stronger rules for its government. In 1787, leaders met at the Constitutional Convention to write the Constitution. They made compromises so that both large and small states would agree to the plan.

Worked example

The states argued over how many votes each should get in the new Congress. The Great Compromise solved this by creating two houses: the Senate, where every state gets two votes, and the House, where states with more people get more votes.

Practice questions

  1. What did leaders write at the Constitutional Convention in 1787?
  2. Explain what the Great Compromise decided.
  3. Analyze why compromises were needed to get all the states to agree on the Constitution.

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Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

La redacción de la Constitución

Después de ganar la independencia, la nueva nación necesitaba reglas más firmes para su gobierno. En 1787, los líderes se reunieron en la Convención Constitucional para redactar la Constitución. Hicieron acuerdos para que tanto los estados grandes como los pequeños aceptaran el plan.

Ejemplo: Los estados discutían sobre cuántos votos debía tener cada uno en el nuevo Congreso. El Gran Compromiso lo resolvió creando dos cámaras: el Senado, donde cada estado tiene dos votos, y la Cámara de Representantes, donde los estados con más habitantes tienen más votos.

More History lessons

Colonization to the American RevolutionC3.D2.HisIndigenous Peoples and Early EncountersC3.D2.HisNative Nations Before ContactC3.D2.His.1The Age of ExplorationC3.D2.His.2Spanish, French, and Dutch ColoniesC3.D2.His.3The Thirteen English ColoniesC3.D2.His.4

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