Discussion Post
Purpose
This unit has focused on the critical years after the American Revolution, when the nation was trying to determine what independence and self-government would look like moving forward. When it became apparent that the Articles of Confederation were inadequate for meeting the challenges the new nation faced, leading American political figures met to develop a new system of governance: the Constitution. Before that compact was binding, however, it had to go through a very contentious ratification process. That debate is the focus of this discussion forum.
You will participate in this debate by adopting a persona of a person who would have been ineligible to vote in any of the ratification conventions: women, Native Americans, and African Americans.
Your objective will be to determine how the new Constitution will impact you, and then make a case either for or against ratification.
Task
First, ensure you read A New Nation (Chapter 6) and The Early Republic (Chapter 7) in the American Yawp textbook and the document reader. Then, read the full text of the US Constitution.
Next, you will adopt one of the following personas based upon the first letter of your last name. Use the primary documents listed after your persona to provide a window into that person's mindset:
Will post as a Native American living on the western frontier
1) A Confederation of Native peoples seek peace with the United States, 1786 (Ch 6)
2) Creek headman Alexander McGillivray (Hoboi-Hili-Miko) seeks to build an alliance with Spain, 1785 (Ch 7)
3) Tecumseh Calls for Native American Resistance, 1810 (Ch 7)
Initial Post:
In your initial post, minimum of two paragraphs making your argument for or against ratification. When making your case, be sure to refer to specific aspects of the Constitution that you believe will affect you (your persona listed above) personally. Your opinion should be grounded not only in the text of the Constitution and what it says in the textbook, but also what that person might have believed personally (by referencing information from the primary sources listed after each persona above).