New Jersey becomes first state to ratify the Bill of Rights

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  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  The Creation of the Bill of Rights: "Retouching the Canvas"

  This lesson will focus on the arguments either for or against the addition of a Bill of Rights between 1787 and 1789. By examining the views of prominent Americans in original documents, students will see that the issue at the heart of the debate was whether a Bill of Rights was necessary to secure and fulfill the objects of the American Revolution and the principles of the Declaration of Independence. Students will also gain an understanding of the origins of the Bill of Rights and how it came to be part of what Thomas Jefferson called "the American mind," as well as a greater awareness of the difficulties that proponents had to overcome in order to add the first ten Amendments to the Constitution.

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Related Student Resources

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  Student Resource / History & Social Studies

  The Creation of the Bill of Rights: "Retouching the Canvas"

  This interactive map of the first 13 states highlights the ratification process in each state.

Mexican Revolution begins

Related Lessons

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  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  Esperanza Rising: Learning Not to Be Afraid to Start Over

  In this lesson students will look behind the story at the historical, social, and cultural circumstances that help account for the great contrasts and contradictions that Esperanza experiences when she moves to California. The lesson also invites students to contemplate some of the changes Esperanza undergoes as she grows from a pampered child into a resourceful and responsible young woman.

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  Lesson Plan / Foreign Language

  La Familia

  This lesson on Spanish language and culture focuses on the family and keeps the lessons simple and age-appropriate. Students will learn about Spanish families and gain a preliminary knowledge of the Spanish language, learning the Spanish names for various family members.

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  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  Lesson 2: "To Elect Good Men": Woodrow Wilson and Latin America

  President Woodrow Wilson and his first Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan, rejected the Dollar Diplomacy that had guided U.S. relations with Latin America during the administration of William Taft. Wilson resolved that the United States would only recognize Latin American governments founded upon law and order, "not upon arbitrary or irregular force. In this lesson, students analyze Wilson's attempts to carry out this "missionary diplomacy" in Haiti and Mexico as well as the responses of selected Haitians and Mexicans.

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  Lesson Plan / Art & Culture

  Mexican Culture and History through Its National Holidays

  In this lesson students will study four popular Mexican holidays and examine images to see how these particular celebrations represent Mexico's colorful history.

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