The Uneven Playing Field: Connecticut’s Representation Before 1965

• What was the system of representation in Connecticut before 1965?
• How did it count people for the purpose of political representation?
• What is the principle of “one person, one vote,” and why is it considered essential for a fair democracy?

1. Divide students into two groups: have one group read the excerpted New York Times article “To Revise Constitution” (1900) and the other read The Hartford Times‘ “On the Outside” (1965). Both documents contain comprehension and critical thinking questions that students can answer alone, in pairs, or in even smaller groups.
2. Then, assign one group to represent “Towns” and the other “Cities.” (You could even have smaller subgroups within these categories focusing on a specific type of town (e.g., agricultural, coastal) or city (e.g., industrial, port city) for more nuanced discussion.)
3. Provide each group with a large sheet of paper, a whiteboard, or access to a digital document to create a T-chart. The left side of the T-chart should be labeled “Towns” and the right side labeled “Cities.”
4. Instruct each group to brainstorm and fill out their respective sides of the T-chart, thinking about the common types of resources and industries found in each. What might be some key interests of people living in these areas related to these factors? How might legislation potentially affect them in different ways?
5. Once the groups have had sufficient time to brainstorm, bring the class back together. Have representatives from each group share some of the key points from their T-charts. Facilitate a class discussion by asking questions like:
   • What are some common themes that emerged for towns versus cities?
   • Were there any areas where the interests of towns and cities might overlap?
   • How might the state system of representation help or hurt these interests?
   • Should small towns and big cities have equal power in government, or should it be based on the number of people? Why?
6. Conclude by having students reflect on the articles and T-chart activity. What is the principle of “one person, one vote” and why is it important for representation? One article was written in 1900, the other in 1965—why do they think it took so long for change to occur?

Assessment Option 1: Essay

Write an argumentative essay in which you take the perspective of either a small town or a big city in Connecticut during the debate over the 1965 Constitution. Using at least three sources, analyze the key concerns, arguments, and political stakes for your chosen perspective.

1. Clearly state the position of a small town or big city regarding the constitutional changes.
2. Use historical evidence to support your argument.
3. Address counterarguments from the opposing perspective.
4. Conclude with an evaluation of how the 1965 Constitution changed Connecticut’s political landscape.

Assessment Option 2: Visual Representation

Students will analyze how representation changed after the 1965 Connecticut Constitution by tracking population shifts over time. Using this index, students will create visual representations (charts, graphs, or maps) to compare legislative representation before and after the “one person, one vote” principle was implemented.

1. Choose one town and one city in Connecticut to research. Gather data on the following for each location from 1818 to 1965 and write a paragraph describing each location.
   • Geography & Location: Is it rural, suburban, or urban?
   • Population Over Time: How has the population grown or declined?
   • Natural Resources & Industry: What economic factors shaped its development?
   • Demographics: Consider factors such as industry, immigration, and major social changes.
   • Legislative Representation: How was representation allocated in the General Assembly before 1965?
2. Create a Side-by-Side Bar Chart: Create a bar chart comparing the approximate population of the chosen city and town before and after 1965. Below these bars, briefly note the change in the number of representatives each location would have had before and after the “one person, one vote” principle was implemented. For example, note that before 1965, both the city and town would have likely had the same (small) number of representatives, but after 1965, the city’s representation significantly increased while the town’s remained relatively stable or increased less dramatically in proportion to population change.
3. Analyze and Explain: Students will then briefly explain their visual representation, focusing on:
   • The population differences between the city and the town.
   • How the system of equal town representation prior to 1965 did not reflect these population differences.
   • How the 1965 Constitution, driven by the “one person, one vote” principle, led to a more proportional representation, benefiting more populous areas like cities.

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