Lesson Plan - The Federalists vs. the Antifederalists

About the Article

Learning Objective

Students will learn about three debates between Federalists and Antifederalists in 1787 and then have a class debate.

Curriculum Connections

• U.S. Constitution

• Articles of Confederation

• Federal and State Powers

• Three Branches of Government

• Bill of Rights

• Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, James Madison, George Mason, and Robert Yates

Key Skills

Social Studies:

• Study how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance

• Understand civic ideals and practices

English Language Arts:

• Learn and use domain-specific vocabulary

• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions

Key CCSS Standards

RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.2, RH.6-8.4, RH.6-8.7, RH.6-8.8, WHST.6-8.4, WHST.6-8.9, RI.6-8.1, RI.6-8.2, RI.6-8.4, RI.6-8.7, RI.6-8.8, W.6-8.4, W.6-8.9, SL.6-8.1, SL.6-8.2, SL.6-8.6

1. Preparing to Read

Build Knowledge and Vocabulary

Before reading the article, have students take the five-question Prereading Quiz at junior.scholastic.com. The interactive quiz is self-scoring and will give an explanation after students answer each question. Then use the Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach domain-specific terms from the article.

2. Reading and Discussing

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. As students read, direct them to circle or highlight any words whose meanings they’re unsure of.

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• What was the Articles of Confederation? How did it make the country disorganized? (Key Details)
It was the first U.S. constitution. It made the country disorganized because it gave the individual states nearly complete power. The federal government was so weak that it couldn’t even enforce laws.

• Describe the main clash between the Federalists and the Antifederalists. (Central Ideas)
The main clash was about how strong the federal government should be. Federalists thought the federal government should have more power than the states. They supported the Constitution. Antifederalists thought most power should remain with the states. They did not support the Constitution.

• How did the Bill of Rights become part of the Constitution? (Analyzing Events)
George Mason, an Antifederalist from Virginia, proposed adding a Bill of Rights during the Constitutional Convention. Other delegates rejected the idea, and the Constitution went on to be ratified without it. However, the first Congress agreed that individual freedoms needed protection. Those protections were added in 1791 as the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution.

3. Skill Building

Watch a Video

Provide these questions for students to think about as they watch “The Bill of Rights”: How does the video add to your understanding? What additional information does it provide? Discuss responses.

Hold a Class Debate

Assign or have groups choose one of the three debates to research. Guide students to find additional arguments and quotes, then have them use the Skill Builder Let’s Debate! to prepare for and take notes during their debates.

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.

Printable Lesson Plan

Interactive Slide Deck

Text-to-Speech