Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776

Reorder

Use the reading to the left to put the following events in chronological order.

Use the descriptions in the reading to determine what each picture represents and then reorder the following

Happened First ---> Happened Last

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The Declaration of Independence was a document that announced the American colonies' break from British rule. The document listed grievances against King George III and justified the colonies' decision to seek independence, marking the birth of the United States of America.

What is the Declaration of Independence?

However... the Continental Congress tried a peaceful solution first

In July 1775, the Second Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George III as a final attempt to avoid war. The petition pledged loyalty to Britain but asked the king to stop unfair laws and taxes. However, King George III refused to read it and declared the colonies in rebellion. After this rejection, many colonists realized that war for independence was unavoidable.

Olive Branch Petition

​Olive Branch - symbol that means peace

Petition - a formal, written request signed by many people to ask someone in authority to take action

Drag and Drop

The Olive Branch Petition was an attempt to ​

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war by asking ​

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to stop the unfair laws and ​

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that Britain had imposed on the colonies. This attempt was ​

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and showed that independence was ​

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.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

prevent

King George III

taxes

unsuccessful

unavoidable

declare

George Washington

successful

avoidable

By early 1776, it was obvious that war was unavoidable. The Second Continental Congress assigned Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and two other delegates to write a declaration of independence.

​Outline of the Declaration of Independence

​I. Preamble (fancy word for an introduction)

II. Grievances Against the King (Grievances = list of complaints)

III. Declaration of Independence (We are breaking up)

Understanding the Preamble

The Preamble is the most important part of the Declaration of Independence

Over the next few slides, we'll look at what the preamble says by looking at each sentence.

You will see an excerpt (part of), definitions, and an explanation of that sentence of the Declaration of Independence.

The first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence summarizes what will be discussed in this document.

They believed that if someone decides to break up with another person or group, then they should explain why the separation is happening.

"When in life people need to break away from another group they have been with, and become their own with equal power in the world, it is important to tell why."
~ excerpt & rephrased

Preamble

Preamble

"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."

​Self-evident = obvious Endowed = given Creator = God
Unalienable = unable to be taken away Pursuit of Happiness = able to live the life you want

​The second paragraph explains how the colonies thought government should work (using enlightenment ideas).

This sentence shares that the United States believes that everyone was created equal with rights that cannot be taken away. These rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To America, this belief is obviously true.

Multiple Choice

Thomas Jefferson got this part of the Declaration of Independence from which Enlightenment thinker?

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

• Voltaire

• Jean Jaques Rousseaus

Multiple Choice

This sentence came from John Locke!

Which of Locke's ideas is this from?

• Natural Rights

• Social Contract

• State of Nature

Categorize

Options (4)

Life

Liberty

Property

Pursuit of Happiness

Thomas Jefferson took this sentence from John Locke's ideas of Natural Rights. However, he did make a few changes. Put the natural rights under the person that believed in them.

John Locke

Thomas Jefferson

Both

Preamble

"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"

Instituted = created Deriving = getting Consent = permission Governed = the people

​The second paragraph continues with this sentence. In it, Jefferson states that the government is made by the people to protect everyones natural rights. Additionally, the government's power comes from the people, not a king or a ruler.

Preamble

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Destructive = destroys Alter = change Abolish = get rid of Institute = create

​The second paragraph continues with this sentence. In it, Jefferson states that if the government does NOT protect the people's natural rights, then the people can change or get rid of that government. Then, they should create a new government that protects those natural rights.

Multiple Choice

This part of the Declaration of Independence also comes from John Locke!

Which of Locke's ideas does this come from?

• Natural Rights

• Social Contract

• State of Nature

Jefferson took this part from John Locke's social contract.

Jefferson and Locke both agreed that if the government doesn't protect people's natural rights, then the government should be replaced with one that will.

Social Contract

Preamble

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

Prudence = wisdom Dictate = tells us established = existing Transient = temporary Hath = has
Shewn = shown Disposed = willing Abolished = get rid of Accustomed = used to

​The second paragraph continues with this sentence. In it, Jefferson states that people should not change their government for small or temporary problems. History shows that most people would rather put up with unfair treatment than go through the trouble of changing their government.

Preamble

The Preamble ends with (in simplified language):

When a government does many bad things over a long time that all aim to make people slaves, the people have the right and duty to throw off that government and make new rules to protect themselves in the future. That is what the colonies have patiently suffered, and what now forces them to change their old systems of government.

The history of the current King of Great Britain is one of many injuries and seizures of power, all directly trying to completely rule the colonies as a tyrant. To prove this, let the facts be shown to the honest world.

Multiple Choice

Jefferson wrote that the government should only be replaced when a lot of bad things have happened and when a peaceful solution cannot be achieved.

Based on what Jefferson wrote, should the colonies replace their government?

***Remember the events that happened before the Declaration of Independence***

Takeaways from the Preamble

• Everyone is created equal

• Everyone has the rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness which cannot be taken away

• If the government doesn't protect these rights, you can replace the government

• The government should NOT be replaced for small and temporary reasons

• The colonies have suffered enough and it's time to break up

Multiple Choice

What is the main purpose of the preamble of the Declaration of Independence?

• To summarize the history of the colonies.
• To explain why the colonies wanted independence.

• To promote unity among the states.
• To outline the structure of the new government.

Multiple Select

Which of the following ideas are found in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence? (Choose TWO answers.)

• All men are created equal

• The government gets its power from the people

• The king must approve all new laws

• The government gets its power from the king

Drag and Drop

The Declaration of Independence says that if a government does not protect people's

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, the people have the right to ​

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it and create a new one.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

rights

laws

kingdoms

ignore

protect

abolish

List of Grievances

A Grievance is a complaint. IN this case, a complaint about King George III.

This section lists all of the complaints the colonies had against the king...27 of them.

Match

Match the grievances to its summary.

• "He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures."

• "For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."

• "He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people."

• "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury."

• "For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world."

British troops stayed without permission

Taxed without representation

Shut down colonial governments

No fair trials for colonists

Blocked trade with other nations

• British troops stayed without permission

• Taxed without representation

• Shut down colonial governments

• No fair trials for colonists

• Blocked trade with other nations

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

Declaration of Independence

In this part, Jefferson explained that the colonies have kindly asked for change multiple times and that every time, they were punished. The King's behavior is unacceptable.

Reorder

Reorder the following based on the previous excerpt.

• Colonies ask for representation

• Colonies get punished

• King George III doesn't deserve to rule

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2

3

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"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

The Final Sentence

​In the final sentence, Jefferson officially breaks up with Britain and states that the United States is their own country and can do everything a normal country can do.

Categorize

Options (4)

Colonists were taxed without representation.

Colonists formed a new government.

Britain refused to listen to colonial complaints.

The U.S. fought the Revolutionary War.

Sort these statements into "Causes of Independence" or "Effects of Independence"

Causes of Independence

Effects of Independence