Teaching the Founding Seminar: America’s First Government: The Articles of Confederation

This one-day seminar invites K-12 social studies educators to examine the nation’s first framework of government through close study of the Articles of Confederation and the debates surrounding its creation and implementation. Participants will investigate both the successes and shortcomings of the Articles while analyzing letters, speeches, and other primary sources that reveal competing views of national authority, state sovereignty, and the challenges of governing a new republic. Through discussion and historical inquiry guided by expert scholars, educators will gain a deeper understanding of how the Confederation era shaped the development of the U.S. Constitution.

Program Highlights:

• $250 stipend for participants
• Scholar-led content sessions exploring the Articles of Confederation
• Primary source analysis featuring letters and debates on national authority
• Classroom-ready content connected to the founding era and constitutional development

Complete this application by October 9th. Decisions will be shared mid-October.

Part of Teaching the Founding, a seminar series for Wisconsin K–12 Social Studies Teachers, 100% supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s American History and Civics Seminars for America’s 250th.

Offered in partnership with the Jack Miller Center’s Founding Civics Initiative.