Cobblestone articles from December 2007

Cobblestone archives from December 2007

Editor's note.(United States. Constitution )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The crafting of the U.S. Constitution was masterly. It was strong enough to unite 13 separate former colonies in 1787 and serves as upon our present-still the foundation which day government is built. It also was flexible, allowing for...

The new nation in trouble.
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a small hotel in Paris, three Americans took turns with a quill pen and red wax signing and sealing and official document. It was September 3, 1783, and these men--John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay--were...

Shays stirs things up.(Daniel Shays)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In Massachusetts, Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War veteran and farmer from the western part of the state, was in trouble, and he decided to do something about it. While he had been off fighting, his farm had not...

The absentees.(Constitutional Convention )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... A handful of America's most famous statesmen were noticeably absent from the Constitutional Convention for various reasons. Two leading citizens, for example, were abroad as ambassadors. Thomas Jefferson was in Paris, France, and John Adams was...

Road to a constitution.(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] September 1774 First Continental Congress meets to consider action against British; adopts both October. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] July 1776 Congress adopts Declaration of Independence. 1781 In March,...

Three men, three plans.(James Madison, Edmund Randolph and Robert Morris )
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The men who came together at the Pennsylvania State House in 1787 were a diverse group. Some were farmers; others were lawyers. Some were well-educated; others were self-taught. They did not all know one another, and...

Adding detail and style: composing the constitution.(Constitution of the United States)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] No one person wrote the Constitution of the United States, as all the delegates to the convention debated and voted on its content. But at some point, the actual wording and arrangement of the document had to be...

Did you know?(United States. Constitution )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The U.S. Constitution is the oldest written constitution in existence. Despite the summer heat, the delegates worked secretly behind closed windows and doors. (guards were even posted outside the doors of the...

'Father of the Constitution'.(James Madison )
December 1, 2007... Virginian James Madison was perhaps the best prepared for the months spent behind the closed doors of Pennsylvania's State House. While at his home, Montpelier, in early 1786, Madison had begun to look at other models of government for ideas...

The matchup.(Articles of Confederation and the Constitution )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Ever wonder exactly how the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution differed? Here s a comparison of some points that show how the Founding Fathers modified their ideas about the federal government between 1781 and 1787. Articles of...

The road to ratification.
December 1, 2007... Alexander Hamilton was worried. Forces were at work trying to make sure that the new Constitution would not be approved. He as determined to do everything in his power, however, to see the Constitution ratified. Hamilton's pro-Constitution...

Mighty men crossword.(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How many men can you name who played a part in creating our Constitution? To design this puzzle, we used the last names of 14 remarkable leaders, each of whom is associated with the story of the Constitution. Most,...

Give the people what they want.
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On a bitterly cold night in January 1789, James Madison suffered a frostbitten nose. It happened while he was campaigning in his Virginia district for the House of Representatives of the first Congress of the United...

Making changes.(constitutional amendments)
December 1, 2007... The Founding Fathers clearly did not want their government to be so easy to change that it would be rewritten completely by future generations. But the delegates did establish a procedure for amending the Constitution when that need would...

Know your rights!
December 1, 2007... Do you know your rights as protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? Test yourself on the following quiz. Answers are on page 42. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Your town plans to close the local baseball field and sell it to...

The past is present: a home for the Constitution.
December 1, 2007... A long line snakes through the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. What s all the excitement about? you wonder. In the building's Rotunda, people make their way past three display cases. They stop for a few moments in awe and...

A unified Europe?(Going Global)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The European Union (EU) is a collection of countries that have united for political and economic cooperation, and to share a common currency (the euro). The EU currently includes 27 member countries in western,...

Dissing discrimination.(Going Global)(South Africa )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... South Africa struggled with a long history of injustice under an apartheid system, which segregated the citizens of the country according to color and gave the minority white citizens supremacy over blacks, who were in the majority. Under...

Hooray for the hural!(Going Global)(State Great Hural of Mongolia)(Country overview)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the 1920s--even after it had gained its independence and was no longer a province of China--Mongolia found itself largely controlled by the Soviet Union's Communist party. The Soviets used Mongolia's territories...

Calling the Constitution's bluff.
December 1, 2007... The U.S. Constitution is the oldest written Constitution in world. It established what many people think is the world s most successful government. That does not mean, though, that all of it makes perfect sense all the time. Take a look at the...

The U.S. Constitution.
December 1, 2007... We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our...

The Pine Tree.(Your Letters)(Poem)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Pine Tree I climb high into the old pine tree. I watch the people below. I can see them, but they can't see me. A bird cocks his head at me as if to say, "What strange bird are you?" And up there, with...

My Favorite Place.(Your Letters)(Poem)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... My Favorite Place Sand stretching on forever. Salty, foggy air surrounding me. White foaming water splashing and crashing. Slopes sliding down to the beach. Shannon Etz Ignacio, Colorado

An angel on top.(Your Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... An angel on top, ornaments all over, beautiful, sparkling lights, branches of pine smelling so sweet, bountiful packages tied up with pretty ribbons, waiting to be opened. Aidan Walker Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

The Constitution.(Your Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jessica Chase South Orange, New Jersey Dear Jessica, Thank you for your artwork to include in this issue. I also liked your advice to use some of the Colonel's feathers to replace my worn-out quill...

Dear editor.(Your Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... Dear Editor, I read "Computer Magic" in the January 2007 issue of COBBLESTONE. I thought it was amazing how computers are changing the way movies are made. I think movies are a lot more interesting with computers. It's amazing because with...

Ethan rates it ...(Digging Deeper)(www .constitutioncenter.org/explore/Welcome/index.shtml)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] **** It's the document that is the foundation of American freedom and the U.S. government. This ingenious creation of our Founding Fathers is constantly adapting to changes in society, adding to its complexity....

Books to read.(Digging Deeper)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... The United States Constitution: What It Says, What It Means by JusticeLearning.org (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005, www.oup.com) puts the power of the Constitution in your back pocket, ready for you to whip out the minute there's any...

Constitution Translated for Kids.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Constitution Translated for Kids by Cathy Travis (Austin, Texas: Synergy Books, 2006, www.bookpros.com). As the foundation of the U.S. government, the Constitution should be mandatory reading for all Americans. but...

The Constitution by Paul Finkelman and The Bill of Rights.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Constitution by Paul Finkelman and The Bill of Rights by Judith Lloyd Yero (Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2004, www.nationalgeographic.com), two volumes in the American Documents series, pull...

On the Web.(Digging Deeper)(www.whitehouse.gov/ kids/constitution/quiz/)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Want to see how much you know about the Constitution? Go to www.whitehouse.gov/ kids/constitution/quiz/and take the fun little test provided there. We sincerely hope that reading this issue helps you get most of the answers correct! If you...

Places to visit.(Digging Deeper)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... National Archives, Washington, D.C. The Archives' renovated building on the Mall is the permanent home of America's Charters of Freedom, which include the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. All are on...

Newspaper coverage of the convention.(Flashback to ...)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 1787, Philadelphia had 10 newspapers, which would play a critical role in the constitutional drama by carrying the first reports of the new government. Their stories would be reprinted throughout the country. ...

Brain ticklers.(United States Constitution)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Give your brain a little tickle to see how well you read and understood this issue on the creation of the Constitution. If you believe the answer to be false, give yourself the ultimate test and see whether you can explain why it is false....

A final word.
December 1, 2007... Many men played a role in creating the Constitution, but did any one person's contribution particularly impress you? Why?

Cartoon connection with Ebenezer & the Colonel.(Cartoon)
December 1, 2007... LET GO OF THAT REMOTE, You VERMIN!! My favorite COP SHOW is ON!! GRRR! No WAY! It's OUR TURN to choose, and we want to watch RODENT WORLD!! Uh, Guys... the KITCHEN is a MESS! Don't forget our agreement: No TV until chores are...

This is for the birds!(Creature Feature)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During the various conventions and meetings that occurred between 1776 and 1787, the Founding Fathers discussed appropriate symbols for the new nation. In 1782, they selected the bald eagle as the national bird. As...