The Federalist Debates: Balancing Power Between State and Federal Governments
IntroductionThis series of activities introduces
students to one of the most hotly debated issues during the formation of the American
government -how much power the federal government should have - or alternatively,
how much liberty states and citizens should have. The lesson begins by tracing
the U.S. federal system of government to its roots, established by America's
Founding Fathers in the late 18th century, highlighting the controversial issue
of state sovereignty versus federal power. Students compare the Articles of Confederation
to the Constitution, analyzing why weaknesses in the former led to the creation
of the latter. Then they examine the resulting system of government formed by
the Constitution, investigating the relationship between federal and state governments
as they exist today. Finally, students reflect back on history and argue whether
they believe Hamilton or Jefferson had the more enduring vision for America. For
related lessons about the development of the Founding Documents, see the following
EDSITEment lesson plans:
Jefferson
vs. Franklin: Renaissance Men Jefferson
vs. Franklin: Revolutionary Philosophers The
Constitutional Convention: Four Founding Fathers You May Never Have Met
The Constitutional
Convention: What the Founding Fathers Said Guiding Questions:
How should power be distributed between states and the federal government
for a successful democracy? What are the pros and cons of state sovereignty vs.
federalism, as argued by the Founding Fathers? Learning ObjectivesAfter
completing these activities, students will be able to - Understand the differences
and similarities between state and federal governments and their functions, structures,
and powers
- Explain the basic positions of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, as represented to varying degrees by Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson,
- Make arguments on behalf of those Founding Fathers who favored
strong federal government and those who favored strong states' rights
- Write
a persuasive essay in response to an open-ended question
Preparing
to Teach this LessonBegin by reading the lesson
in its entirety. Teaching this lesson requires a basic understanding of the period
of history during which the U.S. government was established (roughly between 1776
and 1791). For further background on the Founding
Fathers, Founding Documents, and establishment of a new democratic nation, you
may consult the following resources: You will need to choose which resources to use and how
to teach the activities based on the particulars of your situation, including
access to computers/Internet as well as the reading/writing levels and background
knowledge that your students bring to the lesson. Some activities are better suited
for younger students and others are more appropriate for older students. Before
teaching, make copies of any handouts you will distribute to students and make
sure necessary equipment is working. Background InformationAt
the same time the thirteen original colonies drafted the Declaration of Independence
to announce their intended separation from England, they also wrote the Articles
of Confederation to define their relationship with each other as a joint entity.
The Articles served to unify the colonies through the Revolution, but as the new
states tried to recover from the war and move ahead as a nation, the Articles
of Confederation proved too weak to be effective. As the Library of Congress article
"To Form a More Perfect
Union" explains, "With the passage of time, weaknesses in the Articles of
Confederation became apparent; Congress commanded little respect and no support
from state governments anxious to maintain their power. Congress could not raise
funds, regulate trade, or conduct foreign policy without the voluntary agreement
of the states. Recognizing the need to improve the government, Congress tried
to strengthen the Articles, but problems persisted." Essentially, the Congress
could not raise money from the states, and thus there was no budget for the collective
governing body. Thus, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was convened. "To
Form a More Perfect Union" summarizes the cause and result of this convention:
"The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called to revise the ailing Articles
of Confederation. However, the Convention soon abandoned the Articles, drafting
a new Constitution with a much stronger national government. Nine states had to
approve the Constitution before it could go into effect. After a long and often
bitter debate, eleven states ratified the Constitution, which instituted a new
form of government for the United States." The debate was lively and heated
and largely centered around how much power the federal government should have.
Two Founding Fathers who represented opposing sides were Alexander Hamilton, who
argued for a strong national government with James Madison and John Jay in the
seminal Federalist Papers, and Thomas Jefferson, who favored a weaker central
government and more power resting with individual states. Behind their philosophies
were their different perspectives on human nature: Jefferson was an idealist who
believed in the inherent good of humanity, and Hamilton was a pragmatist who was
more cynical about trusting people to do the right thing. These men and others
spent months deliberating about how much centralized government was the right
amount for a functioning democracy. The issue was particularly salient because
the states had just won independence from a government they considered too controlling,
in which decisions were made about the colonists' lives and finances without involving
those affected. Thus, there was a strong reaction against a government far removed
from those being governed and their concerns, which differed significantly among
the colonies. Nonetheless, a government that could not even raise enough money
to support its own work could do little good for its people. Eventually,
the Constitution was developed through much deliberation, compromise, and commitment
to democratic ideals. The Congress approved the Constitution in 1787, and it was
ratified in 1788 by the ninth state (New Hampshire), the final approval needed
to put it into effect. This document established the structure of our democratic
government as it still stands today. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill
of Rights, were proposed in 1789 and ratified in 1791. Suggested
Activities 1. Perfecting the
Union: From the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution 2.
Liberty and Human Nature 3.
State vs. Federal Government: Division of Power 4.
Jefferson vs. Hamilton: Whose Vision Endures? 1.
Perfecting the Union: From the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution Ask
students to read a brief overview of the period of American history between the
Articles of Confederation (drafted in 1776 and approved in 1781) and the Constitution
(drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1788), which replaced the original Articles with
a stronger federal government after much debate. Depending on students' reading
levels, the following documents might serve as a good overview: Next, students should read
and compare the Articles of Confederation (the first plan for American government)
with the U.S. Constitution (the final plan for American government). Print the
Articles of Confederation
and the original U.S.
Constitution (see print-friendly version). Divide the class into an even number
of small groups of 3-4 students. Half the groups should get a copy of the Articles
of Confederation, and half should get a copy of the Constitution. They should
divide the pages among themselves so that each student reads different articles.
Each article should be summarized in one sentence and compiled into a group summary.
Then, each "Articles of Confederation" group should join with a "Constitution"
group. Each combined group should now discuss the questions on the worksheet Why
the Constitution?, provided in pdf format, using their article summaries and
the original documents for reference. While groups should discuss the answers
together, each student should complete a worksheet individually. For
more background on the ideas and documents that paved the way for the Constitution,
see EDSITEment lessons, Jefferson
vs. Franklin: Renaissance Men and Jefferson
vs. Franklin: Revolutionary Philosophers. 2.
Liberty and Human Nature After they
have some background on this period of vigorous debate, engage students in a class
discussion about the issues at hand, asking them to imagine that they were charged
with the task of setting up a brand new government for a new country. Pose the
question, "How much liberty is enough?" and see where individual students stand.
Encourage students to use logical reasoning and examples from history to support
their views. Make sure that each student responds to the question in some way.
If helpful, you can ask students to focus on a representative microcosm such as
the school or the classroom. Next, share with
students the quotes below from Jefferson and Hamilton expressing opposing views
about human nature. You can give them one quote at a time and ask each student
to agree or disagree, giving reasons to support their answers. Alternatively,
you can divide the class into three groups: Jeffersonians (Anti-Federalists),
Hamiltonians (Federalists), and judges. You could then ask the Jeffersonians and
Hamiltonians to debate each other about the question "How much liberty is enough?"
with the judges ultimately deciding whose arguments were more persuasive. Quotations:
"It has been so often said, as to be generally believed, that Congress have
no power by the Confederation to enforce anything, for example, contributions
of money. It was not necessary to give them that power expressly, for they have
it by the law of nature. When two parties make a compact, there results to each
a power of compelling the other to execute it." —Thomas Jefferson,
in a letter to Edward Carrington, 1787
"Has it not, on the contrary,
invariably been found that momentary passions, and immediate interest, have a
more active and imperious control over human conduct than general or remote considerations
of policy, utility or justice?" —Alexander Hamilton, in The Federalist
Papers, Section 6, 1788 After the debates, facilitate a class
discussion framed by any or all of these questions: - On what issue are
these two philosophical positions opposed?
- How is the American government
structured to offer a compromise between these two positions?
- What was
the historical context in which the U.S. Constitution was developed? What factors
had the most influence on how these issues of sovereignty and liberty played out?
- Do you think the same debate today would have similar or different results?
Why?
Emphasize
the importance of past experience (a.k.a. history) in influencing people's decisions
about the future. For a more detailed analysis
of some of the models of representative government proposed and issues deliberated
during the debates of the Constitutional Convention, see companion EDSITEment
lesson plans, The
Constitutional Convention: Four Founding Fathers You May Never Have Met and
The Constitutional
Convention: What the Founding Fathers Said. 3.
State vs. Federal Government: Division of Power Tell
students that now it is time to examine the balance of governmental power as set
up by the Constitution. Make a three-column chart with one column labeled "State,"
one labeled "Federal," and one labeled "Both." Ask students to brainstorm a list
of powers held by the state government and the federal government and document
these on the chart. Place powers shared by both state and federal government in
the column labeled "Both." Next, show students
the explanation of "National
versus State Government" from Ben's
Guide to Government for Kids. You can show this page using a projector or
print it out for distribution if access to the required technology is not available.
Ask selected students to read sections of the text aloud. Then click on "Powers
of the National and State Governments" to show Ben's version of the chart
of governmental powers. Ask students if they can think of any other powers that
are not on the list. For instance, providing education (which is part of providing
general welfare) is shared, though mostly delegated to state and local governments.
Discuss why particular powers might be placed where they are. View "Powers
Denied" for more discussion. Next, view
"National Government"
and "State
Government" and proceed with an overview of the structure of the U.S. government
system. Continue asking students to take turns reading aloud. Follow the hyperlinked
text as appropriate for your students. Ask questions about vocabulary and concepts
that might be unfamiliar to your students. Use the links at the bottom of the
page to review each branch of government in more detail. Check your students'
understanding by asking open-ended questions such as these: - What
is the relationship between state and federal governments in the U.S.? How are
they similar? How are they different? Who has more power?
- What are the
advantages of a federal government in which power is divided between national
and state governments? What are the advantages of a centralized government (as
in France or Great Britain) where all the power rests with the national government?
- Why did the "Founding Fathers" ultimately decide on a federal government?
- What kinds of laws do states make? What kinds of laws does the federal
government make? Why?
- What might happen if a state could override a federal
law, as Thomas Jefferson once suggested?
- What issues or conflicts might
arise from divisions of power between state and federal governments? Use examples.
To
make sure students understand the structure of the federal government, you can
distribute copies of the diagram of the U.S. Government found on the "Branches
of Government" page linked to the text "U.S.
Government Manual." You may also want to review "State
Government" page of the Ben's Guide for grades 3-5 for a brief mention of
the structure of state and local government systems. The glossary
can help students understand unfamiliar terms. 4.
Jefferson vs. Hamilton: Whose Vision Endures? Ask
students to complete the online activity, "You
Decide: Jefferson or Hamilton?", available through the EDSITEment-reviewed
resource Learner.Org. The site
is presented in an interesting point/counterpoint format, in which quotations
from Hamilton and Jefferson are interwoven with background text and the recurring
question, "Who had the more enduring vision for the United States?" You
can go through the Web site as a whole class if you have a projector available,
or you can print out pages for distribution. Depending on students' ability levels,
they may need some assistance interpreting the text. If there are enough computers,
and students are able, they can work independently or in small groups. Otherwise,
you may want to work through the activity together as a whole class, helping to
explain the text where necessary. Once students
have experienced the "You Decide" activity, ask them to write a persuasive essay
arguing that either Jefferson or Hamilton had the more enduring vision, citing
reasons to support their opinions. Make sure before they start that students understand
the question. Ask them to fill out the worksheet Elements
of Enduring Vision, provided in pdf format, to organize their thoughts before
writing their essays. You may want to discuss students' answers as a class before
they begin their essays to ensure their understanding. Extending
the Lesson- Explain that improvements did
not stop with the original articles of the Constitution. Distribute to all students
copies of the Bill
of Rights. Ask students to choose the article that they believe to be most
important and write a paragraph explaining why.
- Is the union perfect
now? Have students read and discuss the following stories from America's
Library, available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource American
Memory Project (Library of Congress), each of which took place while the United
States was forming as a nation. As a class, discuss the question, "Who is protected
by the Constitution, and how has this changed since it was written?"
- Divide students into two
groups—Federalists and Anti-Federalists—and ask them to debate each
other about whether or not federal government should reign supreme over state
government. Make sure they understand the issues of the times, particularly the
strong reaction against British control over the colonies and the differing economies
of the northern and southern states.
- Test students on selected vocabulary
from the glossary of Ben's
Guide to Government for Kids or another appropriate source.
- Ask students
to fill out a diagram of the U.S. government with selected blank spaces.
Selected EDSITEment Websites
Standards Alignment
View your state’s standards
|