A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History : Executive Order 9981 Truman Presidential Museum and Library: "Multimedia Digital Archives" On July 26, 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services. This project website, produced for the 50th anniversary of the Executive Order, presents the historic document as well as interesting background materials organized in an interactive format. This resource enables students to explore an important outcome of African American military service in World War II. The students can read the order and jot down ideas about how people might have responded to Truman's words (for example, from the perspective of an African-American WWII veteran, an American general, a NAACP lawyer, a white farmer, and a Soviet leader). This could be the beginning of a discussion on how the ideologies of the Cold War played out in the daily lives of Americans. Students can write a reactionary historical journal entry from the perspective of a former WWII African-American soldier (perhaps a Tuskegee Airman) to Truman's order. The teacher can prompt students to think about the emotions of an African-American who fought for a country in which his place is marginalized in society, especially when he was supposedly fighting to promote democracy. In the context of the increasingly threatening Cold War, what might such a person question about his country? The teacher should be sure to return to this document when the class begins to discuss the roots of the Civil Rights Movement.

(b) identifying the major compromises necessary to produce the Constitution, and the roles of James Madison and George Washington;

Letter from James Madison to George Washington, April 16, 1787
University of Groningen: From Revolution to Reconstruction

Description: In this letter, James Madison writes his thoughts on the new outline of government necessary in the United States to his friend George Washington. Madison expresses his wish for a compromise on the debate concerning the central government’s power over the states, the separation of powers, and the system of checks and balances. Madison also outlines his conclusions on the issue of state representation. Throughout this letter Madison explains his views on the structure of government that would later become the Virginia Plan, the basis of the United States Constitution.

Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestions

Have students read the letter and create an outline of Madison’s plan of government. Discuss which parts of Madison’s plan were included in the Constitution.
Discuss the contributions of Madison and Washington to the Constitution: Madison being the author of the Virginia Plan and some of the Federalist Papers and Washington being the President and mediator of the government.

Suggestion for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson

After reading this letter, have students respond to James Madison as a federalist and/or as an anti-federalist. Students can choose which historical figure they are writing as.