The Declaration of Independence

1. The Declaration of Independence September 19,2011

2. What are the major ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence? • What are some of the sources for the language and ideas found in the Dec of Independence?

3. Much of the language and many of the ideas in the Declaration can be found in other documents. Thomas Jefferson and the other writers of the Declaration had access to these documents.

4. You will be partnering with another person to look at 4 primary documents and the Declaration of Independence. • I want you to partner with some you usually don’t work with. • Read each of the documents and search for the portions(s) of the Declaration that were influenced by the document’s text. • Fill out the chart provided.

5. Four Primary Documents • John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, Section 225, 1690 • Locke explains under what circumstances the people have the right to alter their form of government. • Massachusetts Slave Petition, May 27, 1774 • Slave petition to the governing bodies of Massachusetts, the natural rights argument is made boldly by a people denied ANY rights at that time.

6. Malden Massachusetts Statement of Independence, May 27, 1776 • Citizens of the town of Malden express their concerns to their representative at the Continental Congress about the actions of the British and why the declaration in favor of independence was necessary and appropriate at that time. • George Mason and the Virginia Declaration of Rights, June 12, 1776 • Document urged Virginia’s delegates to support such an action, was passed a little more than three weeks before the Dec. of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress

7. Discussion Review chart

8. Key Ideas of the Declaration of Independence • Natural Rights • Social Contract • Right to Revolution • You will need to identify and locate the three concepts in the Declaration, then re-write in your own words and explain how they relate to the struggle between the English and American colonies • How do these ideas support the idea of revolution • Why were these ideas unusual and new?

9. List of Grievances • Place the grievances into the following categories • Economic Interests • Infringement of colonial self-government • Violation of individual rights • Identify phrases in which Americans assert their rights to popular sovereignty and self-determination and where they say what they will do to achieve them.

10. Assignment • You will take on the role of a colonial newspaper editor and prepare an editorial for July 5th, 1776 (the day after the Declaration became public). You will write a pro-independence or anti-independence editorial. You need to explain the main ideas of the Declaration, its ideological antecedents and your approval or disapproval.