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5th grade · Social Studies · Unit 5 of 8

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).

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 5.1.4.1; 5.1.2.1 · the Constitution's three branches, and the ideas of the Declaration of Independence

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Delegates met in Philadelphia in 1787. Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
  2. Legislative makes laws, executive (the president) carries them out, judicial (courts) interprets them.
  3. Some wanted a Bill of Rights to protect freedoms. Amendments let it change, so it is a “living document”.

Example: Which branch carries out the laws? Congress makes laws; courts interpret them. The president leads the branch that carries them out. Answer: the executive

Building a Government in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 5 of 8 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: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

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

    What was the first plan of government for the United States, used from 1781?

    • The Magna Carta
    • The Constitution
    • The Articles of Confederation
    • The Mayflower Compact

  2. Question 2

    Congress has two parts. What are they?

    • The Senate and the House of Representatives
    • The president and vice president
    • The Supreme Court and the jury
    • The king and the queen

  3. Question 3

    Why was Shays' Rebellion (1786–1787) important?

    • It started the French Revolution
    • It showed the national government was too weak to keep order
    • It ended the Revolution
    • It created the Bill of Rights

  4. Question 4

    Which branch makes laws?

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

  5. Question 5

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

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

  6. Question 6

    What are the opening words of the Constitution?

    • "I pledge allegiance"
    • "We the People"
    • "When in the course"
    • "Four score and seven years ago"

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