Instructional Video
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: What Was the Articles of Confederation?

9th - 10th
This video lesson from Khan Academy features John Dickerson, co-host of CBS This Morning. Dickerson discusses the history and the significance of the Articles of Confederation. This lesson is intended for students taking high school or...
Instructional Video
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Crash Course Government and Politics: Constitutional Compromises

9th - 10th
The United States didn't always have its current system of government. Actually, this is its second attempt. Craig will delve into the failures (and few successes) of the Articles of Confederation, tell you how delegates settled on a...
Instructional Video
Cyberbee

We the People, Behind the Scenes With Ben Franklin

3rd - 8th
An interactive website about Ben Franklin and the framing of the US Constitution.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: The Framers Part 1: Introduction

9th - 10th
Today we kick off our 56-day series of biographies of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. This constitution was to replace the Articles of Confederation. [1 min. 10 secs.]
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Roger Sherman

9th - 10th
Roger Sherman had a successful career by any standard. He served in the House and Senate and helped draft the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Constitution. [1 min. 15 secs.]
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: John Dickinson

9th - 10th
John Dickinson had a large role in Revolution-era America. He had strongly opposed British taxation and helped write the Articles of Confederation and Constitution. [1 min. 15 secs.]
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Rights After Independence Pt. 3: The Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
It wasn't easy crafting a new constitution, even one as flawed as the Articles of Confederation.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Rights After Independence Pt. 4: Fears of National Government

9th - 10th
Their experience with a powerful and distant government made Americans reluctant to empower a strong national government.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Rights After Independence Pt. 5: A Weak National Government

9th - 10th
The Founders feared a strong national government so much that they made the national government under the Articles extremely weak.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Rights After Independence Pt. 6: Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
Although the Articles of Confederation are often criticized for not giving the national government enough power, the national government under the Articles had many accomplishments.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Rights After Independence Pt. 7: Legislative Supremacy

9th - 10th Standards
The Articles of Confederation were organized around the principle of legislative supremacy. Americans were wary of a strong central goverment. This would later cause problems.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Rights After Independence Pt. 9: Economic Problems

9th - 10th
America was threatened with economic problems in the early years of the republic. These problems and an attack on property rights led to calls for replacement of the Articles of Confederation.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Rights After Independence Pt. 11: The Philadelphia Convention

9th - 10th
The Philadelphia Convention assembled in 1787 to amend the Articles of Confederation. The Framers quickly decided that merely amending the Articles was not nearly enough.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: The First National Government: The Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
The Articles of Confederation established a weak national government with very limited powers.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Government Under the Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress could not raise taxes directly. Each state had one vote, regardless of population.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Achievements Under the Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
The Articles of Confederation had its weaknesses, but the government under the Articles also had significant achievements, primarily the passage of the Northwest Ordinance.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics:the First National Government:the Aftermath of Shays' Rebellion

9th - 10th
Shays' Rebellion and the popular reaction to it gave Congress an extra incentive to reform the Articles of Confederation.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: The Philadelphia Convention: James Madison's Virginia Plan

9th - 10th
Today on 60-Second Civics: James Madison's Virginia plan proposes a strong national government.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Episode 1588: The Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
American soldiers during the Revolution often went unpaid, unfed, and without uniforms. This was only one of the problems of the Continental Congress.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Episode 1599: Legislative Supremacy

9th - 10th
The majority of early state governments gave most power to the legislature. This was known as legislative supremacy.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Episode 1605: The Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
In 1776, Richard Henry Lee made two bold proposals: for Independence and a national government to unify the states.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Challenges of Writing the Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th Standards
The writers of the Articles of Confederation had to overcome many obstacles in creating the nation's first constitution.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: The Articles of Confederation: A Weak Central Government

9th - 10th
The Articles of Confederation provided for a weak central government and equal representation in Congress. This would prove problematic.
Audio
Center For Civic Education

60 Second Civics: Achievements Under the Articles of Confederation

9th - 10th
Despite a weak central government under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had some important achievements.