UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION SIMULATION

In: Michigan journal of political science: a University of Michigan student journal of political studies, Band 9, S. 69-72

Abstract

THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION SIMULATION, A MAJOR NEW OFFERING OF THE INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SIMULATIONS (ICS) PROGRAM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF EDUCATION. THE PRODUCT OF A CLOSE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ICS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, IT IS A ROLE-PLAYING SIMULATION THAT IS AN EXERCISE IN BOTH AMERICAN HISTORY AND UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION SIMULATION PARTICIPANTS ROLE-PLAY 70 PROMINENT AMERICAN PUBLIC FIGURES WHO ARE ALL DELEGATES TO A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION "IN THE NEAR FUTURE." THE MOST DRAMATIC ASPECT OF THE EXERCISE IS THAT THESE FIGURES ARE DRAWN FROM MORE THAN 200 YEARS OF AMERICAN HISTORY. THE OLDEST DELEGATE IS GEORGE MASON, A MEMBER OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1789, AND THE YOUNGEST IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ONLY THREE OF THE 70 CHARACTERS ARE ALIVE TODAY. A CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK, PERHAPS ESPECIALLY IN THE UNITED STATES, IS INTENDED TO BE AN ENDURING DOCUMENT, POLITICALLY RELEVANT TO GENERATIONS WHOSE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS HAVE LITTLE IN COMMON. A HISTORICALLY CONSTRUCTED CONVENTION ATTEMPTING TO DRAFT SUCH A DOCUMENT PROVIDES A DRAMATIC SETTING FOR ITS DELEGATE PARTICIPANTS TO CONFRONT DIRECTLY A BROAD RANGE OF CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS AND THE VERY ESSENCE OF CONSTITUTIONALISM IN ITS HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT. THIS IS THE EDUCATIONAL INTENTION OF ICS UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION SIMULATION.