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Lesson Overview In this lesson, students will read and analyze excerpts from two of George Washington’s most important addresses. The first is the speech he gave to Congress on the day of his first inauguration in 1789; the second is his Farewell Address to the American people, written in 1796, when he announced he would not run for a third term. Through group work, class discussion, and a written assessment, the students will understand and analyze Washington’s philosophy of government when he began his first term and when he left office. Lesson Objectives Students will be able to Read…

Lesson Overview In this lesson students will begin to examine the foundations of American liberty and the differing points of view expressed by people who were on the same side in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were both ardent patriots, but their writings show differences between them as well as similarities. Through analyzing primary sources, students will get a firsthand view of how those with very different ideals had the same interest in American independence. Lesson Objectives Students will be able to develop a clear understanding of different viewpoints…

Lesson Overview Students will develop a rich understanding of the arguments in favor of and in opposition to the ratification of the US Constitution. They will examine and analyze key excerpts from "Federalist No. 51," George Mason’s Objections to the Constitution, and notes from Alexander Hamilton’s Plan of Government speech. As the students discuss the arguments presented, they will come to understand that Americans did not unilaterally agree on their new form of government. Lesson Objectives Students will be able to Read critically and analyze primary sources Develop a clear understanding…

Lesson Overview In this lesson students will develop an understanding of the economic challenges facing the newly independent United States. Those challenges included the lack of a national currency, the national government’s inability to levy taxes, and the crushing war debt. Through analyzing primary sources students will learn how Alexander Hamilton, first secretary of the treasury, addressed these issues. Lesson Objectives Students will be able to Discuss the economic challenges facing the early United States Make inferences about the difficulties of running a country without a stable…

Lesson Overview In this lesson students consider the question of whether a historic figure’s private life should be judged when evaluating his or her legacy. The primary source on which the lesson is based is a letter from Alexander Hamilton to his fiancée, Elizabeth Schuyler, written two months before their marriage. Some of the content reveals the personal relationship between the two and provides insight into Hamilton’s private thoughts and feelings. Students will explore the question based on their own personal experience, secondary source commentary on past figures, and Hamilton’s…

Lesson Overview Students will develop an understanding of the tensions in the relationship between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr prior to their famous duel in 1804. They will read and analyze key excerpts from primary source documents that enable them to understand the issues and the personalities that led to the conflict. Lesson Objectives Students will be able to Read critically and analyze excerpts from primary sources Draw logical conclusions regarding the relationship between the authors of the primary sources Demonstrate their knowledge through critical thinking activities and class…