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Summary and Objective
The New England town meeting provides an example of direct democracy. Instead of relying on representatives, citizens at a town meeting vote directly on issues ranging from budgets to bylaws. By examining relevant primary documents such as town warrants and notes from town meetings, students will understand the structure and role of the town meeting in local government. They can relate what they have learned in historical context to current issues. Students will also understand that they have a role as citizens in the decision-making process in their communities.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Ask: What is democracy? After students brainstorm answers, ask students to provide examples of democracy.
Step 2.
Provide historical context by referring to relevant concepts such as direct democracy and indirect (representative) democracy. Apply these terms to the examples students have generated. Explain that the local town meeting is an example of direct democracy.
Step 3.
Elicit student insights into town meeting by asking: Have you ever attended town meeting? What happens at town meeting? How is this an example of direct democracy? Build upon student knowledge by discussing the structure of local town government, introducing terms such as "town warrant," "town moderator," and "select board."
Step 4.
Generate a list of issues that might be addressed at a town meeting at present and in the past. Examples include budgets for services such as schools and policy decisions.
Step 5.
Model the process of examining a document by introducing the town warrant from the digital collection and discussing its purpose, historical context, and what it indicates about the concerns of the town.
Step 6.
Distribute other documents to students in pairs. Each group should report to the large group about what they learned from their document.
Step 7.
Lead discussion by asking: What were the concerns at the time? Who could vote? What does the document tell us about democracy at the time? Summarize the discussion by relating the evidence from the primary documents to the concepts addressed early in the lesson, such as direct democracy.
Step 8.
This activity lends itself to a number of extension opportunities. Students can attend their local town meeting and report on what they see. They can interview local residents about an issue that was addressed at town meeting. They can examine a recent town warrant and town report. They can interview members of the select board and the town moderator about their roles. They can model a town meeting based on issues that concern them.
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