Representation through Documentation
Integrated, Interdisciplinary, Thematic Unit on the Foundations of the U. S. Government As we consider the empires that have come and gone throughout history, we observe a common thread that
connects them together: each of them based their daily existence on laws set down by leaders to insure the
success of the civilization. While structuring the United Stated government, our Founding Fathers took from
the wisdom and experience of former cultures and from their own belief system and experiences and created
a completely unique concept of a government ". . .of the people, by the people and for the people."
Understanding the foundation (origins) of our government and its unique history is paramount to appreciating it, being
motivated to get involved in it as a citizen, and desiring to preserve, protect and work to improve it. In this unit of study,
the students will make connections between the past and present, interpret primary and secondary source documents,
and sequence major events in history as they follow the origins of government from the Code of Hammurabi
in ancient Babylon through the Torah (where the Ten Commandments are found), the Magna Carta
up to the creation of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence and an introduction to the Preamble of
the Constitution of the United States.
(Note to any potential user(s) of this unit: The first three strands cover the Code of Hammurabi, strands
four through six cover the Torah/Ten Commandments, strands seven through nine cover the Magna Carta,
while the final seven strands focus on various aspects of the American documents as listed above.
** Also, please note that this unit is designed by Language Arts teachers so as to supplement and reinforce
the primary teaching of this information, which would be done (in our case) by the seventh grade Civics
teacher.)
connects them together: each of them based their daily existence on laws set down by leaders to insure the
success of the civilization. While structuring the United Stated government, our Founding Fathers took from
the wisdom and experience of former cultures and from their own belief system and experiences and created
a completely unique concept of a government ". . .of the people, by the people and for the people."
Understanding the foundation (origins) of our government and its unique history is paramount to appreciating it, being
motivated to get involved in it as a citizen, and desiring to preserve, protect and work to improve it. In this unit of study,
the students will make connections between the past and present, interpret primary and secondary source documents,
and sequence major events in history as they follow the origins of government from the Code of Hammurabi
in ancient Babylon through the Torah (where the Ten Commandments are found), the Magna Carta
up to the creation of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence and an introduction to the Preamble of
the Constitution of the United States.
(Note to any potential user(s) of this unit: The first three strands cover the Code of Hammurabi, strands
four through six cover the Torah/Ten Commandments, strands seven through nine cover the Magna Carta,
while the final seven strands focus on various aspects of the American documents as listed above.
** Also, please note that this unit is designed by Language Arts teachers so as to supplement and reinforce
the primary teaching of this information, which would be done (in our case) by the seventh grade Civics
teacher.)