About This Lesson
Constitutional Compromise challenges you and your students to find a way forward for a young nation as disagreements mount. Engage in the ideas discussed at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and discover how compromises your students make today compare to those made by the 55 delegates.
In this game, you and your students will hear from delegates as they cast their vision for the future of the United States and weigh the options. Balance the interests of a diverse set of states, navigate the interest of delegates who envision vastly different roles of the new government, and process the difficult decisions addressing the institution of slavery in the states.
Not all compromises are (or were) the ideal outcomes. While based on real debates and historical arguments, this game should not be considered a historical reenactment. In the end, your students will discover how their decisions compare to what really happened in Philadelphia.
Learning Objectives
- Explore the key questions debated during the 1787 Constitutional Convention
- Evaluate the arguments made during the debates
- Describe the compromises made in the Convention
- Identify key players at the Convention
- Compare the historical outcomes with other possible compromises
This game was made in partnership with George Washington's Mt. Vernon, with support from Kenneth C. Griffin.
