Adventures in Time and Place

Adventures in Time and Place
Grade 4: New York
Infographic #4: New Yorkers and the United States Constitution
Page 146

1. To learn what this famous New Yorker thought about the new United States Constitution, read A Biography of John Lansing, Jr.
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/B/lansing/lansing.htm

Read about John Lansing, Jr.
Study Lansing’s views. Did he want a strong U.S. government, or did he want strong state governments?
Take notes about Lansing.

Online Activity: What Did John Lansing, Jr., Think?
Decide which of these statements John Lansing believed and which statements he did not believe. Click and drag each statement to correct box. When you finish, click Check.
Try again until you get them all right!

2. Did Alexander Hamilton agree or disagree with John Lansing’s beliefs? Find out by exploring a biography of Alexander Hamilton.
http://k12.albemarle.org/MurrayElem/Projects/socialstudies/birthusa/Hamilton.html

Read about Alexander Hamilton.
Study his views. Take notes.

Offline Activity: Constitutional Speech
Pretend that you are either John Lansing or Alexander Hamilton. Write a speech explaining why you are for or against ratifying the United States Constitution. Then deliver the speech to your class! Pretend that you are addressing the members of the Constitutional Convention.