New Republic's First Steps Script

Warm-Up: Setting the Stage (5 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, class! Today, we're going on a journey back in time to the very beginning of our country. Imagine you're helping to build a brand new country from scratch, right after a big war. It's exciting, but also a huge responsibility!"

"Look at the Warm-Up: Starting Fresh slide on the screen. Take a minute or two to think about this question: Imagine you're building a brand new country from scratch! What would be the three biggest challenges you'd face, and why? Jot down your thoughts quietly."

"Alright, let's hear some of your brilliant ideas! Who would like to share one challenge they thought of? Why would that be so difficult?"
(Facilitate a brief discussion, drawing out themes like leadership, money, unity, defense, etc. Connect their ideas to the historical context.)

"Excellent points! You're already thinking like the founders of our nation. As you can imagine, building a country from scratch is no easy feat. Today, we're going to explore those 'first steps' the United States took as a new republic."

Introduction: Birth of a Nation (5 minutes)

"Let's look at our next slide, The Birth of a Nation: Early Challenges. After winning independence from Great Britain, the United States was truly an experiment. They had just fought a long, costly war, and now they had to figure out how to govern themselves. They faced immense challenges. As you can see, these included establishing authority – how do you create a strong but fair government that doesn't become tyrannical like the one they just overthrew? Then there was economic stability – how do you pay off huge war debts and create a stable economy? How do you forge a national identity when you have 13 different states, each with its own interests and loyalties? And finally, how do you deal with other powerful countries in the world without getting pulled into their conflicts?"

"These were massive questions, and the answers they came up with would shape the United States for centuries to come."

Key Decisions and Challenges Discussion (15 minutes)

"Now, let's delve deeper into some of these foundational decisions. On the next slide, Foundational Decisions: Setting the Course, you see a few examples of these critical moments. Things like President Washington forming his cabinet, the debate over a national bank, the Whiskey Rebellion, and the decision on foreign policy. Each of these moments presented a tough choice, and the path taken had significant consequences."

"For our activity today, you're going to become 'historical advisors.' I'm going to divide you into small groups of 3-4 students. Each group will receive a card with a specific challenge or decision from the early republic. Your task, as outlined on the Group Activity: Debating the Dilemmas slide, is to discuss the following:

1. What was the challenge or decision your group received?
2. What options do you think the leaders had at the time?
3. What decision was actually made?
4. What were the short-term and long-term impacts of that decision?

"You'll have about 10 minutes for your group discussion, and then we'll come back together for a brief share-out. I'll be coming around to listen in and help if you get stuck. You can refer to the readings we've done or your prior knowledge to help you with this. When we come back together, I'll ask one person from each group to share their key takeaways."

(Distribute the New Republic Discussion Activity cards to groups. Circulate and assist. After 10 minutes, bring the class back together.)

"Alright, historical advisors, let's hear what you've discovered! Group 1, can you share the challenge you discussed and what you found out about it?" (Call on groups, encouraging concise summaries and asking follow-up questions to deepen understanding.)

"Fantastic discussions, everyone! It's clear that these were complex issues with no easy answers, and the choices made really did set the stage for our country."

Cool-Down: Reflecting on Foundations (5 minutes)

"To wrap up our lesson today, let's think about the bigger picture. On our final slide, Cool Down: Reflection, I have a final prompt for you: What was one important lesson or decision from the New Republic era that you think still impacts the United States today? Take a few minutes to write your answer on a piece of paper. This will be your exit ticket for today."

"Thank you all for your active participation and thoughtful insights today! If we have time, or for homework, you can complete the New Republic Quiz to check your understanding of today's topics."

New Republic Warm-Up

Imagine you are tasked with building a brand new country from scratch, right after a long and difficult struggle for independence. You have to decide everything from how the government will work to how people will get along.

What would be the three biggest challenges you would face as a leader of this new nation? Explain why each of these challenges would be so difficult to overcome.

New Republic Discussion Activity: Debating the Dilemmas

Instructions:

In your small group, you will receive one of the challenges or decisions faced by the leaders of the early American Republic. Work together to discuss the following points for your assigned scenario. Be prepared to share your group's insights with the rest of the class.

Discussion Points:

1. What was the challenge or decision presented in your scenario?
2. What were the different options or viewpoints that leaders might have considered at the time?
3. What decision was actually made by the government or leaders?
4. What do you think were the short-term and long-term impacts of that decision on the new United States?

Scenario Cards (Cut these out or assign orally):

Scenario 1: The National Bank Debate

• Challenge: The new United States government had significant debt from the Revolutionary War, and there was no stable national currency or way to manage the country's finances effectively. Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, proposed creating a national bank.
• Key Question: Should the federal government create a national bank to manage the economy, even though the Constitution doesn't explicitly grant this power?

Scenario 2: The Whiskey Rebellion

• Challenge: To help pay off war debts, the federal government placed an excise tax on whiskey. Farmers in western Pennsylvania, who often distilled their surplus grain into whiskey to make it easier to transport and sell, saw this tax as unfair and refused to pay it, leading to armed protests and violence.
• Key Question: How should the new federal government respond to armed resistance against a federal tax? Should it negotiate, or demonstrate the strength of federal law?

Scenario 3: Foreign Entanglements

• Challenge: European powers, particularly France and Great Britain, were constantly at war. Both countries wanted the United States to ally with them. The U.S. had a treaty with France from the Revolutionary War, but aligning with either side could threaten the fragile new nation and its economy.
• Key Question: Should the United States ally with its former revolutionary partner, France, ally with its main trading partner, Great Britain, or remain neutral in European conflicts?

New Republic Cool Down

Think about the various challenges and decisions the early leaders of the United States faced as they built the new republic.

What was one important lesson or decision from the New Republic era that you think still impacts the United States today? Explain your reasoning in 2-3 sentences.