Week 21: Signing the Declaration

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

• John Hancock

• Thomas Jefferson

• Benjamin Franklin

• John Adams

Why is "John Hancock" now a way to ask someone to sign their name?

• because he wrote his name so much bigger than everyone else

• because he had such neat cursive writing

• because he wrote the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson helped write the Declaration of Independence.

Select his ideas that were written into the document:

(There is more than 1 correct answer)

• The colonists would be willing to stay subjects of the King if given basic rights.

• Governments should get their power from the people.

• The Colonies should be free and independent states.

• The colonists would be willing to stay subjects of the King if given voting privileges.

The Declaration of Independence was organized into three sections. Which would be the best description of what you can find in the second section?

• the reasons why slavery should be abolished.

• ways in which King George has violated civil, political and natural rights

• the Preamble of the Constitution

• the great military advantage that the Colonies has over Britain

If the writers had addressed the rights of women in the Declaration of Independence, in which section would it have been most appropriate to include it?

• in the first section

• in the second section

• in the third section

• all of the above

The colonists sent a formal ___________ to King George as a request to be treated fairly

• speech

• conviction

• boycott

• appeal

A person who wishes to keep existing conditions and to limit or avoid change can be described as _______________.

• revolutionary

• tyrant

• oppressive

• conservative

What was one of the greatest topics of debate among the representatives as the final draft of the Declaration was being created?

• the location of the capital

• including the topic of slavery

• who would sign first

• the length of the document

A_______________________ is like a plan of action intended to reach a specific goal.

• symbol

• strategy

• proclamation

• treaty