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5th grade · Social Studies · Unit 5 of 7

Building a Government

Articles, Constitution and Bill of Rights

What your child practices

Why the Articles of Confederation were replaced, the compromises of 1787, the three branches, checks and balances, federalism and the Bill of Rights (1791).

Maine Learning Results learning standard: Civics & Government 1; Civics & Government 2; Civics & Government 3 · the Constitution, the three branches of the national government and the Bill of Rights

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The Constitution was written in Philadelphia in 1787. It begins “We the People”.
  2. Three branches: legislative (Congress makes laws), executive (the president carries them out), judicial (courts, including the Supreme Court).
  3. Each state has 2 senators. The first ten amendments are the Bill of Rights.

Example: Which branch includes the Supreme Court? Courts decide what laws mean. The courts make up the judicial branch. Answer: judicial

Building a Government in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 5 of 7 in 5th grade Social Studies, after The American Revolution and before Colonies to Constitution.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    How many senators does each state have?

    • 1
    • 10
    • 2
    • Depends on population

  2. Question 2

    Which branch makes laws?

    • Legislative (Congress)
    • The military
    • Executive (the president)
    • Judicial (the courts)

  3. Question 3

    Why did some people refuse to support the Constitution without a Bill of Rights?

    • They wanted higher taxes
    • They wanted to rejoin Britain
    • They wanted written protection of people's freedoms
    • They wanted a king

  4. Question 4

    Which branch carries out laws?

    • The states
    • Legislative (Congress)
    • Executive (the president)
    • Judicial (the courts)

  5. Question 5

    Which freedom is in the First Amendment?

    • The right to free land
    • Freedom from all rules
    • Freedom of speech
    • The right to be king

  6. Question 6

    Why did the writers of the Constitution separate power into three branches?

    • To make government slower for fun
    • To have more kings
    • Because Britain told them to
    • To keep any one person or group from becoming too powerful

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