Democracy Then & Now

This worksheet helps students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 connect early American self-government to modern democratic practices through paragraph writing, historical comparison, civic reasoning, and clear explanation. Using guided sentence starters, learners explain how ideas from the Mayflower Compact relate to American democracy today, focusing on similarities, lasting importance, citizen participation, and continuity over time.

Learning Goals

• Foundations of Democracy (Grades 4-6) – Explain how the Mayflower Compact introduced ideas of self-government
• Continuity & Change – Compare democratic practices of the 1600s with those of modern America
• Paragraph Writing – Develop a well-organized paragraph using sentence starters and transitions
• Civic Understanding – Describe how citizens participate in government then and now

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with upper elementary social studies and ELA standards
• Sentence Starter Support – Guides students in making clear comparisons and explanations
• Built-In Writing Checklist – Helps learners self-check for evidence, comparisons, and clarity
• Flexible Use – Ideal for classwork, assessments, review, or homeschool instruction
• Supports Writing Confidence – Scaffolding helps students write cohesive, complete paragraphs

This Democracy Then & Now worksheet helps students understand how early ideas of cooperation and self-government still shape American democracy today. By comparing the Mayflower Compact to modern civic practices, learners strengthen historical reasoning, paragraph organization, and civic awareness. It’s a no-prep, meaningful resource for classroom and homeschool settings focused on understanding democratic foundations and continuity over time.

This worksheet is part of our Mayflower Compact Worksheets collection.