Powers Comparison — Articles vs. Constitution¶
Learning Objective¶
Students will compare and contrast (Bloom L4 — Analyze) the powers granted to the national government under the Articles of Confederation versus the Constitution.
- Bloom Level: Analyze (L4)
- Bloom Verb: Compare and contrast
- Library: p5.js
Specification¶
The full specification below is extracted from Chapter 1: "Chapter 1: Foundations of American Democracy".
Type: interactive infographic
**sim-id:** articles-vs-constitution-powers<br/>
**Library:** p5.js<br/>
**Status:** Specified
**Learning objective:** Students will *compare and contrast* (Bloom L4 — Analyze) the powers granted to the national government under the Articles of Confederation versus the Constitution.
**Design:**
- Two-column layout: "Articles of Confederation" (left, faded red/warning color) vs. "U.S. Constitution" (right, green/success color)
- Each column lists 8–10 powers/limitations as clickable cards
- Clicking a card flips it to reveal the real-world consequence of having (or lacking) that power
- Examples: "Levy taxes directly" — Articles: ❌ → consequence card: "Government couldn't pay soldiers or war debts"; Constitution: ✓ → consequence card: "Congress funds national programs through income tax, tariffs, and excise taxes"
- A "Why it Matters" toggle at the bottom shows a one-sentence connection to a contemporary issue
- Canvas: 100% width, responsive; two columns collapse to stacked on mobile
**Powers to include:**
- Tax citizens directly
- Regulate interstate commerce
- Maintain a standing army
- Enforce federal law on individuals
- Coin national currency
- Make and enforce treaties
- Create federal courts
- Amend the governing document