Exploros | The Constitution of the Republic of Texas

The Constitution of the Republic of Texas

Students learn about the Constitution adopted at the Constitutional Convention of 1836. First, they compare the Republic of Texas Constitution with the U.S. Constitution. Then they examine the responsibilities of the different political branches of the government as defined by the Constitution. Finally, they rewrite the preamble in their own words and analyze a right in the Declaration of Rights.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

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Overview

In this experience, students learn about the Constitution adopted at the Constitutional Convention of 1836. First, they compare the Republic of Texas Constitution with the U.S. Constitution. Then they examine the responsibilities of the different political branches of the government as defined by the Constitution. Finally, they rewrite the preamble in their own words and analyze a right in the Declaration of Rights.

Objectives:

Describe the Republic of Texas Constitution.
Explain the three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—established by the Republic of Texas Constitution.
Analyze the Preamble and the Declaration of Rights from the Republic of Texas Constitution.

In March of 1836, delegates from all Texas settlements met to discuss the situation facing Texas. Within a day they had declared independence from Mexico. The next steps required organizing an army to continue the fight against Mexico, writing a constitution, and establishing a government. In this experience, you will learn about the Constitution of the Republic of Texas and the form of government it established.

Objectives:

Describe the Republic of Texas Constitution.
Explain the three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—established by the Republic of Texas Constitution.
Analyze the Preamble and the Declaration of Rights from the Republic of Texas Constitution.

Another task faced the new Republic: it needed a flag. Look at some of the flags that represented the Texas Republic.

Which flag do you do you think best represents Texas?

Flag 1: Designed by Stephen F. Austin between December 1835 and January 1836 while serving as a commissioner to the United States
Flag 2: First official flag of the Republic of Texas, reportedly designed by Lorenzo de Zavala, a drafter of the Constitution and the first Vice President of the Republic
Flag 3: The “Burnet Flag,” used from December 1836 to 1839 as the national flag of the Republic of Texas
Flag 4: The Lone Star and Stripes/Ensign of the First Texas Navy/War Ensign; it was the de facto national flag between 1835-1839

The colors and shapes on a flag generally symbolize the nature and history of the nation, state, city, or organization that it represents. Design a flag to represent your social studies class.

Give students a time limit so that they do not go overboard with their designs. Ask a few volunteers to explain their proposed class flags.

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