Our Constitution's Goals

 Respond to the following question/prompt in the comment section below.

Why may the Preamble (introduction) of the Constitution be important to understanding the direction our nation will take?

As is our practice we will reply to two of your classmates.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Preamble Song

Organizing The Northwest Territory

   With the American Revolution over and the Proclamation Line of 1763 now removed, Americans wish to begin encroaching upon the western lands that belong to First Nations' people. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 set up a number of guidelines for territories to have in place before they can qualify as actual states. Look at those requirements mentioned in our readings and respond to this prompt in the comments section. If our notes missed this, feel free to look back at the textbook itself:

Which requirement to become a state that is placed upon a territory do you see as important, maybe even the most important? Tell us why you think that requirement mattered.

As is our practice, we will reply to the comments of two others.

Our Nation's First Attempt

  During the American Revolution our nation governed itself using the Articles of Confederation. Take a moment to look over our readings and follow these instructions when commenting in the section below:

Identify a specific flaw or shortcoming in the Articles of Confederation that kept the government from being efficient (This will be your opinion). Then offer a guess at why they included that shortcoming in their government. What was their priority? 

As is our practice we will reply and give feedback to two other commenters. It is totally expected that we will have similar ideas, don't worry about that at all. Simply we wish to attempt to offer as many unique perspectives on this topic. 

So They Won The War... What Comes Next?

  With the Continental Army's victory at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, the American Revolution ends with a British withdrawal. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 grants the new nation a significant claim to territories in the Americas. Governing this large nation is a real challenge with not many models to follow. 

The First Nations' empire of the Iroquois will be the first model that the new nation looks to and that Confederation style of government is attempted by the United States.

The key issue is of course is not replacing British Rule with something that is just as oppressive.

Answer this question in the comments and is our practice, reply to two others:

What is the easiest way to guarantee that a new national government can never become oppressive? What choices can be made in its design? (Name One and defend your point)