Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence

Multiple Choice

Why was their tension between the colonies and Britain in the 1770s?

• Great Britain wanted the colonies to end slavery.

• Colonists felt that they were unfairly taxed without representatives in Parliament.

• Great Britain wanted to the modernize the colonial economy.

• The colonists refused a joint council with Parliament.

Multiple Choice

What did Thomas Paine argue in Common Sense?

• The colonies should declare immediate independence from England and start a democracy.

• Monarchy (Kings & Queens) is the best form of government.

• The colonists could never win a war against England.

• It is reasonable for a government to tax its people for any purpose.

​The Declaration of Independence

• ​Written by Thomas Jefferson, dated July 4, 1776

• Representatives from the 13 colonies voted to declare independence in Philadelphia

• ​Announced to the world that British colonies would be an independent nation

• ​Stated the reasons for breaking from Britain and listed the abuses by the British government

• ​Considered a "founding document" of the United States of America.

​​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 opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

​

​Translation: "If we're going to break away from England, we need to explain why."

​Declaration of Independence Vocabulary

​Self-Evident - something that is clear and easily seen

​Unalienable Rights - rights that cannot be taken away by anyone

​Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness - the rights listed to be "unalienable"

​Just powers - the power of government is fair

​Consent of the governed - the power of government comes from the people, not from government; the people allow government to keep power

​Abolish - get rid of

​We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it...

​Declaration of Independence Vocabulary

​Self-Evident - something that is clear and easily seen

​Unalienable Rights - rights that cannot be taken away by anyone

​Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness - the rights listed to be "unalienable"

​Just powers - the power of government is fair

​Consent of the governed - the power of government comes from the people, not from government; the people allow government to keep power

​Abolish - get rid of

​We hold these truths to be ... , that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain ..., that among these are ...--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their ... from the ..., --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to ... it...

​Abolish Just Powers Unalienable Rights

​

​Consent of the government Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

​

​Self-Evident

Multiple Choice

"We hold these truths to be . . . that all men are created equal."

• Consent of the governed

• Self-Evident

• Just Powers

• Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

Multiple Choice

"that they are endowed by their Creator with certain . . ."

• Just Powers

• Self-Evident

• Unalienable Rights

• Abolish

Multiple Choice

"that among these are . . . "

• Consent of the governed

• Self-Evident

• Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

• Unalienable Rights

Multiple Choice

"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their . . . from the . . . 

• Consent of the governed/Self-Evident

• Just Powers/Consent of the governed

• Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness/Just Powers

• Unalienable Rights/Abolish

Multiple Choice

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to . . . it."

• Abolish

• Just Powers

• Self-Evident

• Unalienable Rights

Open Ended

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it..."

Exit Ticket: This is the main idea of the document. According to the text, what are the two main arguments of the Declaration of Independence?