New American Republic Political Campaign Ads
Introduction
The New American Republic faced numerous challenges between the formation of the Constitution and the War of 1812. Political factions, disagreement over the new Constitution, government intrusion into freedoms of speech and press, a quasi-war with France and a British invasion all marked the first generation of America as a new nation.
Assignment
In your STUDY GROUPS or as an Individual, you will create either a modern campaign video or two modern campaign posters/mailers that uses modern political tactics in order to sway the voters to choosing your side on the political issue of your choosing from the time period of the Failure of the Articles of Confederation to the War of 1812. Your video must fit the following requirements:
Group Project (Campaign Video):
• Groups size 2-4 people
Video must be 1--2 minutes in length
• Video must use modern campaign tactics (see the list and examples below)
•Video must highlight the positive qualities of your candidate or political position
• Video must use mudslinging to defame the opposition candidate
• Costuming and filming locations must -- as much as possible -- look early American (avoid modern stuff!... cars, houses, etc.)
• Video must be appropriate for school and YouTube display
• Video must involve everyone in your study group (either acting, filming, editing, or writing the script)
Individual Project (Campaign Video or Campaign Poster/Mailer):
As an individual, you can design TWO Campaign Posters that uses modern campaign tactics to promote ONE candidate or issue and describe the negatives of the opposing candidate or issue.
These campaign posters cannot simply be pictures, but must illustrate the issues and must be detailed in content.
These campaign posters must contain a SLOGAN and FOUR major issues related to your chosen topics
Original Campaign Posters or Mailers (click here for examples)
OR
Video that meets the requirements in the description above
Political & Campaign Issues
Your video has to focus upon only ONE political issue (election of a representative, a problem facing the nation that the government should fix, declaration of war, staying peaceful in war, secession from the Union, etc.).
Only ONE group can cover one of the issues listed below (two groups cannot do the same campaign issue). You must submit your proposal in the submission form above.
The following is a list of possible examples:
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Ratification of the Constitution
Bill of Rights
George Washington for President
John Adams for President
Thomas Jefferson for President
James Madison for President
Aaron Burr for President
Hamilton's Economic Policy
Federal Assumption of War Debt
Alien & Sedition Acts
Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions
Impressment of American Sailors
Quasi-War with France
XYZ Affair
Problems with French Immigrants
Midnight Judges
Embargo Act
War with Great Britain (War of 1812)
Federalist Hartford Convention (Federalist Secession)
How to make a modern campaign video:
See the lists and links below for ideas on how to complete your campaign video, and be sure to ask your instructor for any help that you need with filming or editing:
Modern Political Campaigns use the following tactics of Propaganda:
Assertion -- common sense, general knowledge
Bandwagon -- appeal to follow the crowd, victory is inevitable
Card Stacking -- only presenting positives, omitting anything negative or contrary
Glittering Generalities -- simple words that demand approval without thinking (Ex: “freedom,”“love of country,” “honor,” “democracy,” “united we stand”)
Pinpointing the Enemy -- targeting a specific group
Plain Folks -- ideas presented are the ideas of the common man (easy to relate to)