5-Minute Videos
The Constitution: Why a Republic?
Big Government · US Constitution · US History · Captions
About This Video
Winning the War of Independence brought a new challenge to the American people: what sort of government should they choose for their new nation? Robert George, Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, explores the problems the founders faced at this pivotal moment in history.
Watch more from PragerU’s Understanding the Constitution: A 10-Part Series.
Standards Met in Ohio
- AMG.9-12.12Grades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thLaw and public policy are created and implemented by three branches of government; each functions with its own set of powers and responsibilities.
- AMG.9-12.12.aGrades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thExplain ways the different people/groups in government can limit each other’s powers (e.g., checks and balances).
- AMG.9-12.13.aGrades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thGiven an event, explain how it creates a dynamic interaction among the three branches of government (e.g., checks and balances).
- AMG.9-12.13.bGrades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thExplain a political process that creates a dynamic interaction between the three branches of government (e.g., checks and balances).
- AMG.9-12.5Grades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thAs the supreme law of the land, the U.S. Constitution incorporates basic principles which help define the government of the United States as a federal republic, including its structure, powers, and relationship with the governed.
- AMG.9-12.5.aGrades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thExplain basic principles of government in the United States (e.g., separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism).
- AMG.9-12.6Grades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thThe Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers framed the national debate over the basic principles of government encompassed by the Constitution of the United States and led to the adoption of the Bill of Rights.
- AMG.9-12.6.lp.cGrades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thIdentify primary sources as Federalist (strong central government) and Anti-Federalist (power to the states and individual freedoms) Papers.
- AMH.9-12.23.lp.cGrades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thDefine democracy as a political system wherein the government is elected by citizens.
- AMH.9-12.7Grades 9th, 10th, 11th, 12thThe debate presented by the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers over protections for individuals and limits on government power resulted in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights provides constitutional protections for individual liberties and limits on governmental power.