Bell Ringers

Bell Ringer: We the People

We the People Clause

Jeffrey Rosen talks about popular sovereignty and the meaning of "We the People" at the Constitutional Convention. ** This clip is part of C-SPAN Classroom's FREE resources for teachers and students. Visit www.c-spanclassroom.org for more info. **

Description

Jeffrey Rosen talks about popular sovereignty and the meaning of "We the People" at the Constitutional Convention.

Bell Ringer Assignment

  • What was James Wilson’s central contribution to the Constitutional Convention? Explain its importance to the United States.
  • How was the idea of national popular sovereignty found in the Preamble important during the Civil War?
  • AP Gov Additional Questions to Consider: How is the democratic ideal of popular sovereignty reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution? How do public policies generated at any given time reflect the attitudes and beliefs of citizens who choose to participate in politics at that time? How do Baker v. Carr and Shaw v. Reno connect to the concept of popular sovereignty?

Additional Resource

Participants

    Vocabulary

    • Articles Of Confederation
    • James Wilson
    • Parliament
    • Popular Sovereignty
    • Ratification

    Topics

    AP U.S. Government Key TermsConstitutional FoundationU.S. History

    Grades

    Middle SchoolHigh School