The Declaration of Independence

Warm-Up

Tuesday
12/12/23

​1. List six things you see in the image below.

2. ​Use the title, who does the horse represent?

3. During this period, who was Colonial America's "master"?​

Declaration of Independence

By Angela Fondale

Today you will learn about the principles and ideas of the Declaration of Independence.

​​PrinciPAL

PrinciPLE

1. The leader of a school

2. Significant, important, or main idea

​A basic rule or idea that guides thought and action.

Multiple Choice

Is this an example of a princiPLE or princiPAL?

• PrinciPLE

• PrinciPAL

Multiple Choice

Is this an example of a princiPLE or princiPAL?

• PrinciPLE

• PrinciPAL

​The Continental Congress

​First Continental Congress

Set up your notebook

• Sept. 1774

• 50 representatives from 12 colonies

• Mix of identities - loyalists, patriots, people in the middle

​

First Continental Congress

Ex. of patriot: Patrick Henry, Samuel & John Adams
Ex. of middle ground: George Washington

• Respectful letter to King George

• Boycott taxed goods

​

1st C.C.
Outcomes

​The Continental Congress

​First Continental Congress






Second Continental Congress

Set up your notebook

​Second Continental Congress

• King responds to 1st CC letter by declaring colonies in "open...rebellion"​

• Plan B: write a formal declaration of independence

​The Continental Congress

​First Continental Congress



Second Continental Congress



Declaration of Independence

Set up your notebook

D.I. organized in 3 parts:

1. Natural rights

2. Ideas about government

3. Complaints about the king

D.I. organized in 3 parts:

1. Natural rights

2. Ideas about government

3. Complaints about the king

D.I. organized in 3 parts:

1. Natural rights

2. Ideas about government

​Right: something that is owed all people

​Natural Rights

​Turn and Talk

What rights do you believe all people are owed from birth?​

Open Ended

What rights do you believe all people are owed or entitled to?​

Natural Rights

• a revolutionary new idea

• all people are:

  • born equal

  • owed basic rights​:

​life

liberty

pursuit of happiness​

Poll

Based on your early thoughts, does the Declaration of Independence capture what you believe are the natural rights of all?

• Perfect!

• Mostly, but I would change....

• Oops! You forgot something.

Ideas About Government

Fails to protect rights = right of the people to fix or rebuild

Revolutionary ideas:​

• Governments rule with permission of the people​

• Governments are formed to secure natural rights

" 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 their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government…

​

​

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We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America… do solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are… Free and Independent States; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is… totally dissolved." 

...[complaints about the king]...

Draw

Draw an image to show the relationship between the people and the government, as described in the D.I.

Multiple Choice

What do we call the rights all humans are born with?

• Government

• The People

• Natural Rights

• Independence

Multiple Choice

According to the Declaration of Independence, who gives consent to govern?

• Government

• The People

• Natural Rights

• Independence

Multiple Choice

According to the Declaration of Independence, the governments are formed to secure _____?

• Government

• The People

• Natural Rights

• Independence

Multiple Select

Select all of the principles of the Declaration of Independence.

• People give their consent (permission) to the government

• A government's job is to secure natural rights

• All humans are born equal

• Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Exit Ticket

1. ​Governing with the consent of the people.

2. We are all born equal.

3. Protecting the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

​On the left page of your notebook:

Grade (L1-L4) how well the U.S. is doing on each of the principles in the D.I.:

​Choose one of the grades you gave and provide feedback how the U.S. could do better.