How Our System of Government Works as a Constitutional Republic
Course will breakdown the structure of government under the first three articles of the US Constitution and the powers of each branch.
Anthony J Van Zwaren
Average rating:
4.4
Number of reviews:(57)
What's included
1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. A lesson plan will be included in the class that the students can read in advance with recommendations as to some websites they can explore on their own.Assessment
Student interaction during the class will be looked at as part of an informal assessment. Preparation will be noted especially if they explore certain websites on their own in advance of the class.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 8
This class will involve both written materials and oral presentation going through the fundamentals of the first Three Articles of the Constitution. The class will start with the early forms of government in the thirteen colonies and then go through the weaknesses of the first post-Revolution government under the Articles of Confederation. We will focus on the first three articles of the Constitution describing the powers of the three branches of government with additional focus on the fight to adopt the Bill of Rights, discussing some of the issues between the Federalists and anti-Federalists as to the how to prevent a central government from becoming autocratic while also protecting the security of the new Republic.
Learning Goals
To learn about the first three articles of the Constitution and how they set up the structure of government. We will learn also what makes a Constitutional Republic different from other forms of government that may not have a written constitution but may rely on unwritten practices and customs. It will also discuss what the difference is with the kind of parliamentary systems that many countries throughout the world have.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This class will go through the history of ideas leading to the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution primarily through disputes between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists over the limits of federal authority versus states' rights.
Supply List
If students have a copy of the US Constitution, they can have it handy or get it off of the internet. Students should read the Preamble of the US Constitution and the first three articles defining the limits on the powers of the three branches of govenment.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
We will look at the first three articles of the US Constitution defining the powers of each branch of government as well as the Articles of Confederation and the fight to pass the Bill of Rights. The course will briefly cover some of the issues raised by the Founding Fathers like Madison, Hamilton, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson as to what the limits of the Federal Government should be.
Joined April, 2020
4.4
57reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
New Jersey Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
2 Degrees
Doctoral Degree from New York Law School
Bachelor's Degree in History from Stony Brook University
In addition to teaching US History in the Middle and High Schools I also taught a more specific Civics Course in a Bergen County, NJ Middle School and an AP class on Government/Politics in a Bergen County High School. I studies history, got a law degree from NY Law School and practice law in New Jersey for over twenty years.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$20
per classMeets once
55 min
Completed by 10 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
6-9 learners per class
