Jackson Vetoes the National Bank

This is a 4 day activity. Students debate whether Congress had the authority to create the Bank of the United States. They then read speeches from prominent folks on Jackson's veto of the Bank of the United States, summarize them, and share their summaries.

1. Day 1: Students read Article II, Section 8 of the Constitution and answer questions about whether it gives Congress the authority to create a Bank of the US. Please note that the recommended link does not include this section. Try this link to Constitution Annotated instead.

   
   

2. Day 2: Students are each given one of three speeches on the veto of the bank bill--Jackson's (7 pages printed), Henry Clay's (6 pages), or Daniel Webster's (2 pages). Be sure to look for the links to the excerpts of the speeches on the bottom of page 2; don't have students read the speeches in their entirety. Student writes a summary of their speech.

   
   

3. Day 3: Students who read the same speech are grouped together. They read their summaries to each other, and groups vote on the best summaries. An alternative might be for students to be grouped with students who read the other speeches and read them to each other. Then 4th day activities would be shortened.

   
   

4. Day 4: The best summaries are read to the entire class. Students then vote again on whether the Constitution gives Congress the authority to create a Bank of the United States.