By the mid-1780s, many Americans believed the Articles of Confederation left the national government too weak. In the summer of 1787, delegates met in Philadelphia to fix the problem and ended up writing a new Constitution.
In this lesson, students learn how the delegates debated representation and agreed on the Great Compromise, which created a Congress with two houses. They then explore how the Constitution divides government into three branches, legislative, executive and judicial, and uses checks and balances to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 5, about 45 minutes
- Skills: summarizing, explaining cause and effect
- Guiding question: How did the founders design a government that could last?