The case

Connecticut has long been known as the "Constitution State." Some say this is because the role that people from Connecticut played in shaping the Constitution of the United States, especially the work of Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth in creating the Connecticut Compromise. Others say that the nickname refers to Connecticut's Fundamental Orders of 1639 as the first example of a written constitution.

Connecticut has a rich history of constitutional documents including the Fundamental Orders, the Charter of 1662, the constitution of 1818, and the state's current constitution (which was agreed upon in 1965). All of these documents have impacted our system of government today.

Becoming a detective

Closely examine Source A, Bradley Stevens' 2006 mural of the Connecticut Compromise, which hangs in the U.S. Senate building, and Source B, Albert Herter's 1913 painting, "The Signing of the Fundamental Orders," which hangs in the Connecticut Supreme Court.

In your research journals, respond to these questions:

1. What do you see?
2. What do you think is happening?
3. Who do you think these people are?
4. What message does this image send?
5. How does it make you feel?

Next, look at the vocabulary list your teacher has displayed. Create a sentence that uses at least two of these words, and share with the class. As you talk about the words you will learn more about their meanings. Once all ten words have been discussed, you will create another sentence using some of the words.

Next you will be working with one other student to come up with what you think "government" is, and to list at least five reasons why we have government. Your class will discuss all the purposes of government and display them on chart paper. Your teacher will read aloud the first chapter of The Constitution of the United States (A True Book), and you will talk about why people need a constitution. You and your partner will create a colorful illustration or symbol to represent the ideas of a constitution.

Investigating the evidence

To find out more about the Fundamental Orders, you will be reviewing Source C, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut; Source D, Henry Wolcott's notes on Thomas Hooker's 1638 sermon, and Source E, a chart showing the structure of the General Court in 1640. (The sources are listed at the top left of this page.)

Working in small groups, review the document and write your responses to these questions in your research journals:

1. What does this document say about Connecticut in the 1600s?
2. What rights did the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut give to colonists?
3. Why was this document important?
4. Do you think the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is a constitution?

Then complete the Fact Pyramid organizer in your small group and share the results of your investigation with the class.

To find out more about the Connecticut Compromise, read chapters 2 and 3 from The Constitution of the United States (A True Book). Complete the activity "How many representatives in Congress should each state have?" from the We the People book (pages 73, 74, and 75), and continue reading pages 76 and 77. (Teachers note: you can order a free copy of this resource from the Center for Civic Education.)

Review the information about Connecticut's delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Source F, and record some of your findings in your research journal.

Read the Readers' Theatre of the debates from June 11, 1787. Then review the actual transcripts from the debate (Source G), recording your answers to these questions in your journals:

1. What were the delegates discussing on Monday, June 11?
2. What compromise did Roger Sherman propose?
3. What did this compromise do to help the large states?
4. What did this compromise do to help the smaller states?
5. Why do you think this compromise was so important?

Look again at pages 76 and 77 from We the People. Based on what you have learned, what new information would you add to the text about the Connecticut Compromise?

Searching for clues

You will be looking at different constitutional documents to see how they guaranteed voters' rights, and how these rights have changed over time.

First, your teacher will show you the Fundamental Orders (Source C), the U.S. Constitution (Source H), the Connecticut state constitution of 1818 (Source I), and the current Connecticut state consitution, revised in 1965 (Source J). You can also look at the particular sections that relate to voting rights in the 1639 Fundamental Orders, in the 1818 state constitution, and in the 1965 state constitution. In a small group, you will review the sections of the assigned document that guarantee voters' rights, recording your findings in your research journals.

• According to the U.S. Constitution, what are voters' rights?
• According to the Connecticut Constitution of 1965, what are voters' rights?
• According to the Connecticut Constitution of 1818, what are voters' rights?
• How have voters' rights changed over time?

Cracking the case

Your class will be divided into four groups: two that think that Connecticut is the Constitution State because of the Fundamental Orders, and two that think it is because of the Connecticut Compromise. Your group will prepare an argument for your point of view based on the information you have learned. Work together in your group to complete the persuasion map and print it out. Elect two spokespeople to present your argument to the class. Following the debate, the students will vote to determine which answer to the question is most persuasive.

For your final project, you may choose from this menu of options to convey your thinking about why Connecticut is called the Constitution State.

To learn more, you might create a class constitution, explore other sections of these constitutions, or take a trip to the Old State House in Hartford to see the Thomas Hooker statue, or the Connecticut State Library and Museum in Hartford to see the original documents.