The Declaration of Independence www.studenthandouts.com > Texts > Historical Documents IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America This requires us, as students, to write our own Declaration of Independence for the rest of the world to see and understand why we should be and will be independent and equal to the station of our parents and teachers. This lesson plan looks at the major ideas in the Declaration of Independence, their origins, the Americans’ key grievances against the King and Parliament, their assertion of sovereignty, and the Declaration’s process of revision. The purpose of this activity is to engage students at various academic levels in examining the Declaration of Independence. Below-level/ELL students will review the historical setting and influential figures surrounding the writing of the Declaration. On-level students will examine parts of the document. Above-level students will compare wording from various source documents with key phrases Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original. Student Annotations, In this margin He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation. Declaration of Independence: Student Worksheet Answer the following questions using the Declaration of Independence. Preamble 1. What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence? (Paragraph 1) The purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to explain the reasons why the colonists wanted to break free from rule under the British History >> American Revolution IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God Declaration of Independence teaches students all about this important and foundational document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. Students will learn why it was written, what problems the colonists had with the rule of King George III, and more. They will also learn about the important message of the preamble. Included with this lesson plan is an “Options for Lesson” section that lists Lesson 2: Writing the Declaration of Independence Overview This two-day lesson examines the Declaration of Independence and the key ideas behind it. On day one, students first explore the purpose of government as they react to the question: Why does government exist? The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, a date subsequently celebrated in the United States as Independence Day. An official copy of the Declaration was written out on parchment. This formal document was signed on August 2 by members of Congress present on that date. Those who were absent signed later. After reading the Declaration of Independence, I ask students to come up with their own declarations based on certain issues they have with my class, the school or the district. Here is a sample of their work. Franny A's Group Let it be known that we are entitled to certain rights as high school students. Upon completion of this lesson, the students will be able to: Describe some of the processes leading to the votes for independence and the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Discuss the importance of the Declaration of Independence in the founding of the United States of America. Students will analyze the significance of the Declaration of Independence over time. Students will evaluate the statement “all men are created equal.” Students will compare the philosophy of the John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government and the Declaration of Independence. Students use Library of Congress primary sources to examine Thomas Jefferson's intentions in stating "All men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence. Over the course of five lessons the students will be asked to “read like a detective” to discover the meaning and significance of what is explicitly stated in the Declaration of Independence (primarily written by Thomas Jefferson) and draw logical inferences and conclusions from its text. They will demonstrate these skills by writing succinct summaries of selections from the text Guidelines for writing Declaration of Independence: Preamble: Discuss the reasons for why you are writing this Declaration. (From, “When in the Course of human Events” to “declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation.”) What reasons do you believe you should declare your independence? Declaration of Student Rights: Explain what you believe, the philosophy and ideals behind This lesson examines the Declaration of Independence and the key ideas behind it. First, students explore the purpose of government as they react to the question: “What if there were no government?” Next, they read an article on the Declaration of Independence and engage in a discussion on it. Then, working in small groups, stu-dents create a public service announcement to demon-strate Guidelines for writing Declaration of Independence: Preamble: Discuss the reasons for writing this Declaration (from “When in the Course of human Events” to “declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation”). For what reasons do you believe you should declare your independence? In this interactive lesson, students are guided through a close reading and analysis of the Declaration of Independence, one of the nation’s founding documents. The lesson highlights the Declaration of Independence’s historical context, its Enlightenment influences, and its elevation to one of a handful of revered documents in U.S. history.
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