How Are Laws Created?

Do you know how laws in the United States are created and approved?

What happens if not everyone agrees about a proposed law?

If laws don't seem fair or reaonable, can someone challenge them?

Who gets to decide if laws are okay?

Click on the following cool link and see if you can find the answers to these questions?

Post a reply comment to this posting with your answers.

Letter Writing - A Lost Art?

Letter writing was the primary means of communication used during the revolutionary period. When a personal meeting wasn't possible, family, friends, and business people shared ideas, ask questions, and kept in touch through writing letters to one another. Letters were often poetic, and were most always carefully written to include very specific words. Words were used to artistically present ideas and feelings. Much thought went into not only what to say but how to say it. A letter writer often took much pride in the presentation of their letters, much like an artist would take pride in a painting or other work of art. Many, many letters written throughout the American Revolutionary period and early American period, 1750-1850, were kept by families and archived as family treasures. Some of these letters are now kept in historical archives and available for viewing by the public.

Here is an example of one such letter written by John Adams, 2nd President of the US. Notice the manner in which details are conveyed. After you read the letter, see if you can "translate" the letter into modern day correspondence. What are the main ideas that Adams is writing about? Once you have drafted your own version of this letter, post it as a comment response to this posting... Good Luck!!

Paris July 9. 1783

My dearest Friend

Not a Line from you since December. Congress has not cutt off our heads for making Peace, and that is some Comfort. I am not in health and dont expect to be, untill I can get home. But when will this be? We are all at as great Uncertainty as We have been these six Months. Yet one should think it cannot be long before the Treaty is finished. You must not cease to write to me, untill I arrive at your Door. Write by England Holland France. The Letters will find their Way. Write decently and then I dont care if they open your Letters, at present.

- - - John Adams

Spies are everywhere....

Are you a loyalist or a Tory?  



Are you a patriot, colonist, or a rebel?  


Are you a pacifist?

1750 - 1781:  During the years leading up to the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War, neighbors, friends, and even family member often found themselves living around those who's view about English Rule and the Right of American Colonies to govern themselves differed.  It was dangerous times.  Many people had strong feelings about how things should be, but were careful about sharing their ideas with others.  Some people were arrested for speaking out against the king.

As the military might of both sides began to build, and war was looming, both sides relied on spies to find out what the other side was doing.  Many spies were young people, some as young as 8.  

Check out the following spy adventure...what side are you on?  what kind of information about the enemy can you find?     Click Here

As citizens of the U.S., we enjoy many personal freedoms. Each citizen must also take responsibility to follow laws, participate in civic responsibilities, and to be an active participant in their community. As we have learned, earning the right to be free of British rule came at a high price, involving war, loss of personal property and lives, and required the new leaders to take a dangerous stand to enact independence. Under the newly formed government, we have learned as one people to uphold the personal rights of each citizens.


As a class we have been reading about the experiences and lives of those involved in the early days of our country. Not everyone, at first, thought the American Colonies should be breaking free from Britain. Many were still loyal to the crown of England. As we read in the story, Katie’s Trunk, many families and individuals lived among and around those who had a different opinion of English rule than that of their own. Members of Katie’s family were considered to be Tories. They lived in growing fear as the number of rebels grew. For many, just like Katie, loss of friendships and other relationships, growing tension, home raids, and growing conflict were a result of the growing division.


As we move into next week, we will begin to study about the early constitutional government, the US Constitution, and the structure and operation of both the US Government and our own State Government. Our goal is to learn what is involved to be citizen of the United States.

Welcome to Classroom Blog - Mr. Walls

This blog spot is to keep you updated on what is going on this year in our classroom.  

We will doing a unit on the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Government.  Our Theme, "I am a citizen", will help us all make better connections with our roles and responsibilities as citizens.  

Check here for updates on unit projects, assignments, and student work.