Signing the Constitution

Transcription

1 release dates: March (06) 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. By BETTY DEBNAM Sept. 17, 1787 Signing the Constitution Page 4 of the Our Constitution s birthday is Sept. 17. It was on that day in 1787 that the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the document that they had worked on for nearly four months. Franklin s speech Ben Franklin was 81 years old. He did not have the strength to stand and make a speech at this meeting. He asked another delegate to read one he had written. Franklin said that he did not agree with everything in the However, he doubted that another convention Benjamin Franklin would write a better one. He urged all delegates to sign and support it. This is the seventh in a nine-part monthly series. We thank the staff of the National Archives and Lee Ann Potter, director of education and volunteer programs, for their help. Gunston Hall Plantation George Washington signed the Constitution first. Thirty-eight men signed in the order of their states, from north to south. (One delegate, George Reed, signed for John Dickinson, who was sick.) The 40th signature was that of Maj. William Jackson, the secretary of the convention. Above is a famous painting by the artist Howard Chandler Christy. Not everyone signed Some delegates would not or could not support the Three of the delegates at the final meeting refused to sign it. George Mason of Virginia did not sign because it did not have a bill of rights. Edmund Randolph, also of Virginia, thought that it gave the president too much power. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts George Mason thought it gave the central government too much power. After it was signed After the Constitution was signed, it became part of a six-page report that the convention sent to the Congress, which was meeting in New York City. Congress received the package containing the Constitution, a resolution, and a letter George Washington from George Washington on Sept. 20, In less than a week, Congress considered it and sent it to the states for ratification, or approval. It was ratified by nine of the 13 states by July photo courtesy Architect of the Constitution

2 11-2 (06); release dates: March The Convention Delegates During the Constitutional Convention from May 25 to Sept. 17, 1787: 55 men attended at some time or other. Some went every day the convention was in session. Others came and went as they wished. Delegates from New Hampshire did not arrive until July 23. Four did not agree with what the convention was doing and left. 38 delegates signed the They signed in order, from north to south. Many of the delegates were old friends. The average age was 44. Ben Franklin was the oldest at 81. The youngest was Jonathan Dayton, 26, of New Jersey. Delegate John Dickinson of Delaware asked a fellow delegate to sign for him. The Constitution has 40 signatures. One of them is the secretary of the convention, William Jackson. He had been an officer in the Revolutionary War, and later served as President Washington s private secretary. Almost all of the delegates had taken part in the government of the country or of their states. They knew firsthand about lawmaking. They were all welleducated for men of their time. Twentyseven of them had graduated from college. All were readers of books, especially history books. Most (34) were lawyers. They were also planters, educators, ministers, doctors, merchants and soldiers. More than half had served in the Revolutionary War. Mini Spy... Mini Spy and her friends are signing their copy of our See if you can find: exclamation mark ladder word MINI boat horse s head key olive pencil bell mushroom fish kite number 3 Constitution TRY N FIND Words and names that remind us of the signers of the Constitution are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: BEN, FRANKLIN, JAMES, MADISON, GEORGE, WASHINGTON, DELAWARE, NEW (twice), HAMPSHIRE, GEORGIA, NORTH, CAROLINA, PENNSYLVANIA, MASSACHUSETTS, YORK, MARYLAND, CONNECTICUT, VIRGINIA. A I N A V L Y S N N E P F B F HOW WOULD YOU HAVE SIGNED THE CONSTITUTION? Basset Brown The News Hound s C A R O L I N A E G R O E G R J A M E S M A R Y L A N D E A A I N I G R I V M A D I S O N W A S H I N G T O N K Y O R K S T T E S U H C A S S A M G L D E L A W A R E V Z W E N I I E R I H S P M A H T R O N A N C O N N E C T I C U T Q N E W

3 Go dot to dot and color. You ll need: 1 pound ground beef 1 /2 cup taco sauce 1 /2 cup low-fat mayonnaise 11-3 (06); release dates: March Rookie Cookie s Recipe Mexican Casserole 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained 1 medium onion, chopped 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 4 cups lettuce torn into small pieces 1 (8-ounce) bag tortilla chips, crushed What to do: 1. In a large saucepan, cook the ground beef. Drain. 2. In a small bowl, mix together the taco sauce and mayonnaise for sauce. Add sauce to the ground beef and set aside. 3. In a large bowl, combine the cheese, pinto beans, onion, tomatoes and lettuce. 4. Stir in the beef mixture and the chips. 5. Pour mixture into an ungreased casserole dish. 6. Heat in a 350-degree oven uncovered for 30 minutes. Serves 6. Note: You will need an adult s help with this recipe. photo courtesy Kids WB! Meet JammX Kids JammX Kids is an upcoming Kids WB! TV show aimed at getting kids active and moving. The kids are a group of nine young hip-hop singers and dancers ranging in age from 9 to 17. The kids were chosen in a national search from hundreds of others who JammX Kids members, starting top left to right: January Malkus, Evan Saucedo, Johnny Erasme, Jazz Domingo, Annie Gonzalez, Monica Parales, Bobb e J. Thompson, Alyson Stoner, and Chancellor Miller. auditioned for a part in the group. Each member was selected for his or her talents in dancing, singing and acting. They all have performed before audiences either locally or nationally. Some of them have had roles on TV and in movies. On the show, the three oldest members, January, Johnny and Evan, look after the others by offering advice and encouragement. The group s goal is to show kids that exercise through dancing can be fun. A KID S GUIDE TO THE WHITE HOUSE Betty Debnam Kids! You're Invited to the White House A Kid s Guide to the White House is a terrific behind-the-scenes look at a very special house. Written with the cooperation of the White House Historical Association, the book is full of fun information, photos (some in full color) and puzzles that kids of all ages will enjoy. To order, send $9.95 plus $3.50 for postage and handling for each copy. Send check or money order (U.S. funds only) payable to: Andrews McMeel Universal, P.O. Box 6814, Leawood, KS Please send copies of A Kid s Guide to The White House (Item #2153-2) at $13.45 each, including postage and handling. Toll free number Name: Address: City: State: Zip: All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category? Tyrone: What do you call a worm wearing a fur coat? Teresa: A caterpillar! Thomas: Why do some fishermen ride in helicopters to capture their bait? Terry: Because the whirlybird catches the worm! Timmy: How many worms are in a foot? Tamara: Twelve inchworms!

4 11-4 (06); release dates: March Signers of the Constitution George Washington George Washington was the most important man at the convention. He was such a great leader that his participation influenced others to take part. He did not take part in the debates during the sessions. However, he often consulted with members in committees and in George Washington private. He was unanimously chosen as the president of the convention. James Madison James Madison is known as the father of our He spoke out and worked very hard for a strong national government. The James Madison notes he kept are the best record of what went on. The signer s signatures are on the fourth, and last, page of the photo courtesy National Archives The convention that wrote the Constitution has been called the greatest meeting of wise men in history. Delaware George Read Gunning Bedford Jr. John Dickinson Richard Bassett Jacob Broom Maryland James McHenry Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Daniel Carroll Virginia John Blair James Madison North Carolina William Blount Richard Dobbs Spaight Hugh Williamson South Carolina John Rutledge Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Charles Pinckney Pierce Butler Georgia William Few Abraham Baldwin This mural of the Constitution s signers hangs in the rotunda of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., near the original It was painted by Barry Faulkner in 1936 and is almost 14 feet tall and 35 feet long. George Washington signed first. The other delegates signed from north to south. New Hampshire John Langdon Nicholas Gilman Massachusetts Nathaniel Gorham Rufus King Connecticut William Samuel Johnson Roger Sherman New York Alexander Hamilton New Jersey William Livingston David Brearley William Paterson Jonathan Dayton Pennsylvania Benjamin Franklin Thomas Mifflin Robert Morris George Clymer Thomas Fitzsimons Jared Ingersoll James Wilson Gouverneur Morris You can sign the Site to see: Biographies of the signers:

5 Read all about signing the Constitution in by Betty Debnam Appearing in your newspaper on. from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. (Note to Editor: Above is cameraready, one column-by-4 1 /4-inch ad promoting Issue 11.) release dates: March (06) from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam 2006 The MIni Page Publishing Company Inc. Standards Spotlight: Signing the Constitution Mini Page activities meet many state and national educational standards. Each week we identify standards that relate to The Mini Page s content and offer activities that will help your students reach them. This week s standards: Students understand the purpose of government. (Social Studies: Power, Authority and Governance) Students identify key ideals of the United States democratic republican form of government. (Social Studies: Civic Ideals and Practice) Activities: 1. Write the words Working Together at the top of a large piece of paper. Then find newspaper comic strips that show people working together to do a job or solve a problem. Paste them on your paper. 2. Get together with several friends. Together, write down some rules about how you will play together. Now, have everyone sign the agreement. 3. Find a newspaper story about a local government body, such as a city council or a school board, passing a law or setting a policy. What different points of view are represented by the people who must vote on the law or policy? Write a paragraph describing the arguments presented by each side. 4. Collect several letters to the editor in which citizens are urging legislators to take action on a problem. Paste each letter on a piece of paper. Then write several sentences expressing your opinion on the topic. 5. Pretend you are a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Make a list of three reasons why the delegates should vote for the Now write a speech trying to persuade the other delegates to sign the (standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi) Supersport: Willie Parker Height: 5-10 Birthdate: Weight: 209 Hometown: Clinton, N.C. There was a time not long ago when a Super Bowl ring was about the last thing Willie Parker figured he d get. At the University of North Carolina, he made little impact as a running back. No NFL team drafted him, either. But the Pittsburgh Steelers saw some potential and signed him as a free agent in That s all Parker needed a chance. Flashing speed and quickness, the 5-10 Steeler has given opposing defenses the willies. He led Pittsburgh in rushing during the 2005 regular season with 1,067 yards and then exploded on the longest play in the Super Bowl. Parker scored on a 75-yard touchdown sprint to help Pittsburgh beat Seattle for its fifth Super Bowl title. That romp was the longest TD run in the 40-year history of the championship game. Willie Everette Parker grew up with an older sister and two older brothers in Clinton, N.C., starred on his high school team, and then majored in African American Studies at UNC. Now he s majoring in real estate, as in picking up ground carrying the football. And nobody overlooks the tough back anymore. His team has even produced a Fast Willie Parker T-shirt! (Note to Editor: Above is the Standards for Issue 11.) (Note to Editor: Above is copy block for Page 3, Issue 11, to be used in place of ad if desired.)