ClassFlow
Class Flow: Georgia's Constitution and the Articles of Confederation
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart focuses on social studies skills by introducing students to Georgia's 1st Constitution and new United States' Articles of Confederation. Timelines are introduced where students add facts...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Formation of a National Government
This site from the American Revolution Project discusses the state of the union at the end of the Revolutionary War and how the events of the time led to the failure of the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Articles of Confederation
This lesson looks at the development of the constitutional government in the United States. Students use technology to explore history concepts.
Library of Congress
Loc: Creating a Constitution
A brief article on the efforts of Charles Pinckney along with others to amend The Articles of Confederation. Includes links to original text of unsuccessful amendments to The Articles of Confederation
Digital History
Digital History: The Age of Constitution Writing [Pdf]
See how colonial and state constitutions differed and how the idea of a social contract between a government and its citizens is reflected in the state constitutions. The second half of this site gives an abbreviated text of the Articles...
US Department of State
Office of the Historian: Constitutional Convention and Ratification
Among the many weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was the inability of the government to conduct foreign policy in an effective manner. Find out how the Constitutional Convention addressed this issue by allowing the Executive...
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Robert Morris
Known as the "Financier of the Revolution," Robert Morris played a critical role in winning and securing American independence. As chairman of the Continental Congress's Finance Committee between 1775 and 1778, Morris traded flour and...
US Government Publishing Office
U.s. Government Publishing Office: Core Documents of u.s.democracy
Direct online access to the basic Federal Government documents that define our democratic society, a core group of current and historical Government publications.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Debating Democracy
By the end of this section of a chapter on "Creating Republican Governments," students will be able to explain the development of state constitutions, describe the features of the Articles of Confederation, and analyze the causes and...
Yale University
Avalon Project: The Federalist Papers
With this resource, you can search by keyword for particular subjects within the Federalist Papers, or you can access by number each of the Papers. Also available are links to four related documents: The Annapolis Convention, Articles of...
iCivics
I Civics: The Constitutional Convention Mini Lesson
Students explore how the U.S. government was created in the years following the Articles of Confederation.
iCivics
I Civics: Trying Self Government
In this lesson, students will learn about the Articles of Confederation's strengths and weaknesses as well as how it downfalls impacted the writing and ideas in the U.S. Constitution.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Gilder Lehrman Institute: The New Nation, 1783 1815
[Free Registration/Login Required] This website documents the United States through its struggles to become a new nation. Site includes primary source documents for the Articles of Confederation, US Constitutional Convention, and George...
C3 Teachers
C3 Teachers: Inquiries: Great Compromise
A learning module on the Great Compromise and the role it played in developing the US Constitution in 1787. It includes several supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance...
Siteseen
Siteseen: Government and Constitution: The Articles of the Constitution
Each of the Articles of the Constitution are described in full detail with simplified summaries of each of the sections together with the full, original text.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Northwest Ordinance
Enacted through the Articles of Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance led to the organization of the Northwest Territory and expedited the expansion of the United States westward. This is a thorough explanation of the ordinance.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Congress for Kids: Democracy
Aimed at younger students learning about government, this section of the larger 'Congress for Kids' website focuses on Democracy. Links to related topics include democracy vs autocracy, 13 Colonies, Declaration of Independence, and...
University of Chicago
The Founders' Constitution: Deficiencies of the Confederation
The University of Chicago provides a letter from Richard Henry Lee to George Mason in which Lee describes the financial problems the Confederation has run into and suggests minor reforms be made.
Other
Indian Historical Bureau: Land Ordinance of 1785
Read the text of the Land Ordinance of 1785, which was written to manage the land controlled by the Confederation government west of the Appalachian Mountains, land that became part of the United States after the Revolutionary War.
University of Chicago
The Founders' Constitution: Deficiencies of the Confederation
The original text of a letter from Alexander Hamilton to Governor George Clinton of New York in 1778 complaining of inadequate material for the U.S. armed forces and perception of weakness by foreign powers.
US National Archives
Nara: Charters of Freedom: Constitution of the United States
Comprehensive overview of the U.S. Constitution. Places the Constitution in context with two other founding charters of American democracy and government, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Includes access to digital...
Digital History
Digital History: A Bill of Rights? [Pdf]
There was no Bill of Rights attached to the original Constitution, but it was a topic of discussion. Read a reconstruction of speeches of delegates to the Constitutional Convention who debated for and against the inclusion of a way to...
Digital History
Digital History: The Road to Philadelphia [Pdf]
The new United States government had many problems under the Articles of Confederation. Find out what these problems were, but also discover some of the successes accomplished under that constitution. [pdf]