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The Declaration of Independence

Total questions: 12

Worksheet time: 6mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Who wrote the 1st draft of the Declaration of Independence

a)

Thomas Paine

b)

Thomas Jefferson

c)

Benjamin Franklin

d)

George Washington

2.

What was the Declaration of Independence

a)

a book that Thomas Paine wrote

b)

a plaque that honors men of the Continental Army

c)

a document that told why the colonies should no longer be under British rule

d)

a document that tells what King George demanded from the colonists

3.

How many delegates and colonies were involved in The Second Continental Congress

a)

65 delegates and 13 colonies

b)

May 10, 1775

c)

13 delegates and Great Britian

d)

5 delegates and 10 colonies

4.

The Second Continental Congress faced three key tasks...

Check all that apply

a)

who should lead the new army- George Washington

b)

to organize the colonies for war against the British

c)

to decide whether to declare independence from Great Britain

d)

how to deal with the Intolerable Acts

5.

What was a Minuteman?

a)

a colonist who delivered messages from town to town

b)

a Loyalist that fought for the king

c)

a member of the Second Continental Congress

d)

a Patriot volunteer who was paid and trained to be ready to fight at a minute's notice

6.

Which answers best describe the Age of Enlightenment

a)

Countries began to war with eachother

b)

People should have freedom and fair treatment

c)

Writers published ideas in newspapers, pamphlets and booklets

d)

The second excerpt from the Declaration of Independence

7.

Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense it argued...

a)

The Continental Army needed to be lead by George Washington

b)

people should stay loyal to King George

c)

people should rule themselves rather than be ruled by the king

d)

America could show the world a better form of government

8.

How was Common Sense such an important booklet

Answer all that apply

a)

Common Sense was written in simple words for all to understand

b)

More than 500,000 copies had been sold

c)

Parents do not "make war upon their families"

d)

It said colonists should defeat the British Army

9.

Did the Second Continental Congress decide to move forward with Independence or stay with Great Britian

a)

Move forward with Independence

b)

Stay with Great Britian

10.

What do people mean to this day when they say "John Hancock"

a)

your signature

b)

your handshake

c)

your first and last name

d)

your ideas

11.

Two southern colonies objected to statements on slavery in the Declaration of Independence, How did the other delegates react?

a)

The Congress split in half to make two nations.

b)

Thomas Jefferson was angered, he called slavery a "cruel war against human nature."

c)

Thomas Jefferson agreed with the southern colonies

d)

Delegates knew they had to agree in order to become a unified country.

12.

Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on

a)

July 2nd 1776

b)

July 4th 1776