The career of any one man prominent in the Convention, as Madison, Hamilton, Franklin, Washington, Robert Morris, etc.  Write a brief biography.

SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER

This period should be taught very slowly and very thoroughly, as it demands much more time than any of the earlier periods.  A clear understanding of the Constitution is of the most practical value, not merely to enable one to comprehend the later history, but also to enable one to understand present duties.  Note carefully the “federal ratio” and the functions of the Supreme Court.  Use the text of the Constitution and emphasize especially those portions of importance in the later history.

This work is difficult.  It should therefore be most fully illustrated from recent political struggles.  Let the children represent characters in the Convention and discuss the various plans proposed.  Encourage them also to suggest transactions which might represent the working of the tender laws, the commercial warfare between the states, the “federal ratio” etc.  Especially study the first ten amendments and show how they limit the power of the general government to-day.

[Illustration:  TERRITORIAL ACQUISITIONS 1783-1853.  For later acquisitions see Map facing page 397.]

VII

THE FEDERALIST SUPREMACY,
1789-1801

Books for Study and Reading

References.—­Higginson’s Larger History, 309-344; Eggleston’s United States and its People ch. xxxiv (the people in 1790); McMaster’s School History, ch. xiv (the people in 1790).

Home Readings.—­Drake’s Making of the West; Scribner’s Popular History, IV; Coffin’s Building the Nation; Bolton’s Famous Americans; Holmes’s Ode on Washington’s Birthday; Seawell’s Little Jarvis.

CHAPTER 19

ORGANIZATION OF THE GOVERNMENT

[Sidenote:  The first way of electing President.  Constitution, Art.  II, Sec.I; McMaster, 170-171.]

[Sidenote:  Washington and Adams.]

192.  Washington elected President.—­In the early years under the Constitution the Presidents and Vice-Presidents were elected in the following manner.  First each state chose presidential electors usually by vote of its legislature.  Then the electors of each state came together and voted for two persons without saying which of the two should be President.  When all the electoral votes were counted, the person having the largest number, provided that was more than half of the whole number of electoral votes, was declared President.  The person having the next largest number became Vice-President.  At the first election every elector voted for Washington.  John Adams received the next largest number of votes and became Vice-President.