The Declaration of Independence is a statement originally composed by Thomas Jefferson, then adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It announced that the 13 American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. 1) The document is a declaration of independence from Great Britain by the 13 American colonies, announcing their separation and establishment as equal, independent states. 2) It outlines abuses by the British King including denying rights to fair trials, imposing taxes without representation, quartering soldiers, and restricting trade. Objectives Students will: • Examine the famous phrases of the Declaration of Independence. • Understand the purpose and structure of the Declaration of Independence. • Understand that individuals inherently have rights. • Understand that legitimate government depends on the consent of the governed. Student Handout The Declaration of Independence: A Close Reading Text-Dependent Questions Use the following method to address each of the questions below. • Discuss • Write Declaration. Handout D: The Declaration, the Founders, and Slavery Versions 1 and 2 1. Response: Accept reasoned answers Handout F: Comparing the Second Treatise of Civil Government to the Declaration of Independence Version 1 and 2 1. The ideas and principles in both documents include equality, liberty, freedom, and property. 2. Answers as Student Activity Sheet: Investigating the Declaration of Independence Part I – Preamble: 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 Handout 2A, page 1. Writing the Declaration of Independence . Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence . In June 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. Delegates came from each colony. (A delegate is a person chosen to meet with others to make decisions.) The Revolutionary War had just broken out. First printed version of the Declaration of Independence (PDF, 2.80 MB) (one copy per student)! Declaration of Independence: Making Comparisons handout (PDF, 30 KB) (one copy per student)! Teacher’s copy of Declaration of Independence: Making Comparisons handout (PDF, 34 KB)!!! Brief background for the lesson:! 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 entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they sh Reading: Declaration of Independence Activities: Declaration Scavenger Hunt and The Structure of the Declaration Handout A: Declaration of Independence 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 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 entitle them, a decent respect to the Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence Free Printables for K-12 Education www.STUDENTHANDOUTS.com Distribute Handout A: Declaration of Independence and Handout C: The Structure of the Declaration to each group. Divide the class into 6 groups. Assign each group one section of the Declaration as shown on Handout C ; additionally, all groups should consider the signature section. o Handout C—Declaration of Independence with accompanying questions o Handout D—Global Declarations and Comparison Chart o Handout E—Enrichment Activity: David Arbitrage Article o Handout F—Declaration of Independence in Spanish Instructional Activities: o STEP 1: ANTICIPATORY SET/BELL RINGER Write THE BIG IDEA above on the board. Handout 2A: Writing the Declaration of Independence — 1 per student. Handout 2B: In Your Own Words — 1 per student. (Optional) Handout 2C: Vocabulary List — 1 per student. Assign students look up the vocabulary before continuing to Part 2 below or you can make a chart of the vocabulary terms on the board or on poster paper and fill in the Handout A: Declaration of Independence. 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 Identify and describe ele-ments of the philosophy of government expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Explain the contradictions between ideals contained in the Declaration of Independence and the institution of slavery. Handout A: Declaration of Independence IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, They include a fact checking activity for the movie National Treasure (currently available on Netflix), a Declaration of Independence word search (adapted from our "Which Words are in the Declaration of Independence?" activity), and a lesson on blackout poetry that uses the Declaration as its text. Look closely at the copy of the “Declaration of Independence” to answer the following questions. I. THE PREAMBLE [Paragraph 1) *NOTE: This is NOT the “We the People” intro of the Constitution! A Preamble is any introduction to a formal document. 6. A preamble is another word for a(n) _____________________ to an important document.
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