THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

LESSON ONE

THE DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE

Overview Critical Engagement
Question
In this lesson, students will explore the
structure, purpose, and signi cance What does the Declaration of
of the Declaration of Independence. Independence reveal about
Focusing on the most famous phrases of
the Declaration from the Introduction American ideals?
and the Conclusion, students will
analyze the concepts of inalienable rights Objectives
and government by consent. Finally,
students will begin to understand the Students will:
philosophical foundations of America’s
constitutional government. t Examine the famous phrases
of the Declaration of
e object of the Declaration of Independence.
Independence…[was] not to nd out
new principles, or new arguments, never t Understand the purpose and
before thought of, not merely to say structure of the Declaration of
things which had never been said before; Independence.
but to place before mankind the common
sense of the subject, in terms so plain and t Analyze the concept of
inalienable rights.
rm as to command their assent, and
to justify ourselves in the independent t Analyze the concept of
stand we are compelled to take. … it the social compact and
was intended to be an expression of government by consent.
the American mind, and to give to that
expression the proper tone and spirit t Appreciate the American
called for by the occasion. ideals of liberty and
government by consent.
– omas Je erson, 1825
Standards
On the distinctive principles of the
Government ...of the United States, CCE (5-8): IA2, IB1, IIA1, IIC1, IID1
the best guides are to be found in...the CCE (9-12): IA2-3, IIB1, IIA1, IID1
Declaration of Independence, as the NCHS (5-12): Era 3, Standard 1B
fundamental Act of Union of these States. NCSS: Strands 2, 5, 6, and 10

–James Madison, 1825

1

Background/Homework 10 minutes the day before

Materials Cut out and distribute Handout A: Declaration Scavenger Hunt Slips. For
homework, have students nd out how the person, idea or item on their slip
t Handout A: was/is related to the Declaration of Independence.
Declaration Scavenger
Hunt Slips Warm-up 10 minutes

t e Declaration A. Have students share their responses to the Declaration Scavenger Hunt
of Independence Slips as a large group.
(Appendix A)
B. Divide the class into pairs or trios. Distribute e Declaration of
t Handout B: Independence (Appendix A) and Handout B: e Structure of the
e Structure of the Declaration to each group. Assign each group one section of the
Declaration to focus on; additionally, all groups should do the signature
Declaration section. Note: You may wish to divide the Indictment section in half
t Handout C: Key between the groups because of its length. Have students skim their sections
of the Declaration and record the key ideas for their sections on the
Excerpts Handout. (See Answer Key for suggested responses.)
t Handout D: A
Lesson Plan 30 minutes
Note on the Signers
(optional)

Time

One y-minute class
period

A. Put up an overhead of Handout B and ask students to share their
responses. Once the chart is complete, ask students:
t What is the purpose of each section?
t Why include a long list of grievances?
t What was the reason for pointing out that the colonists had
tried to get the King to change the way he treated them?
t Which do you believe is the most important section? Why?

B. Tell students you will now focus on some of the most famous phrases
of the Declaration of Independence. Distribute and put up an overhead
of Handout C: Key Excerpts.

C. Have students read the excerpt individually or in small groups, and
ask them to underline what they believe are key terms and/or phrases.
en discuss the questions as a large group. ( e Answer Key contains
suggested responses.)

2 BEING AN AMERICAN

Wrap Up 10 minutes

Ask students to share their personal responses to the Declaration by

discussing as a large group the following questions:

t As Americans, should we be proud of this document?
t What does the Declaration tell the world about the United

States?
t Are the ideals expressed in the Declaration outdated, or are

they still true today?
t Do these ideals matter to you? If so, how and why?

Homework Extensions

A. Have students read Handout D: A Note on the Signers and answer the 1. Have students work
critical thinking questions. in groups of three
to investigate ways
B. Using Handout B as a guide, have students draw an illustration for the Declaration of
each section of the Declaration of Independence. Illustrations should Independence has
symbolically represent the section’s content and purpose. been embraced by
later individuals
C. Have students select a signer of the Declaration of Independence. throughout
Have them research the person’s biography and prepare that person’s American history.
resume to share with the class. Students can begin their research at: How have leaders
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/Teach/Founders/default.asp like Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Frederick
TEACHER NOTES Douglass, Abraham
__________________________________________________________ Lincoln, Martin
__________________________________________________________ Luther King, Jr. and
__________________________________________________________ others referenced the
__________________________________________________________ Declaration as they
__________________________________________________________ worked to expand the
__________________________________________________________ blessings of liberty?
__________________________________________________________ Groups should
__________________________________________________________ create a Declaration
__________________________________________________________ Timeline to highlight
__________________________________________________________ historical documents
and events in which
the Declaration played
a part.

2. Have students use the
style and substance
of the Declaration
to write their own
“declaration of
independence” from
their parents.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 3

HANDOUT A

DECLARATION SCAVENGER HUNT SLIPS

omas Je erson e Committee of Five

Natural Rights Continental Congress

e Lee Resolution Spirit of ‘76

Common Sense Treason

King George III Charles omson

John Hancock National Archives

John Locke Abraham Lincoln

George Mason Martin Luther King, Jr.

Revolutionary War July 2, 1776

Government by Consent Sacred Honor

Dunlap Broadsides Engrossing
Social Compact
No Taxation Without
Representation ©THE BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE

BEING AN AMERICAN

HANDOUT B

THE STRUCTURE OF THE DECLARATION

Directions: e Declaration of Independence is made up of six sections. Skim over the Declaration
with your group members. Don’t worry if you don’t understand every word. While you skim it, take
note of what kinds of words, phrases and ideas are contained in each section.

Section Title Contents

1 Introduction
When, in the course
of human events…

2 Preamble
We hold these truths
to be self-evident…

3 Indictment
He has refused…

4 Indictment (cont.)
For quartering large
bodies of troops…

5 Denunciation
Nor have We been
wanting…

6 Conclusion
We, therefore, the
Representatives…

7 Signatures

©THE BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

HANDOUT C

KEY EXCERPTS

Directions: e following paragraphs are from the Declaration of Independence. Read them carefully,
and underline words or phrases you think are important. ink about the questions that follow.

Note: Some spelling, spacing, and punctuation have been changed for clarity.

e hold these truths to be self-evident:
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their reator with certain unalienable rights,
that among these [rights] are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

hat to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed,

hat 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 e ect their safety
and happiness.

1. What do you think “unalienable rights” (or “inalienable rights”) means?
According to the document:

2. Where do unalienable rights come from?
3. What is the purpose of government?
4. From where does government get its power?
5. Are the powers given to the government by the people limited or unlimited?
6. When should government be changed?
7. How could the Continental Congress approve this document when so many of its
members owned slaves?
8. Does the fact that many of these men owned slaves mean these ideas are wrong or less
important?

V t Abolish: put an end to
t E ect: bring about
t Endowed: given or furnished
t Instituted: set up or established
t Deriving: receiving

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HANDOUT D

A NOTE ON THE SIGNERS

“…We mutually pledge to each other our Lives,
our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Fi y-six individuals from each of the original 13 Roman Catholic signer. Seven of the signers were
colonies participated in the Second Continental educated at Harvard, four each at Yale and William
Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. & Mary, and three at Princeton. John Witherspoon
Pennsylvania sent nine delegates to the congress, was the president of Princeton and George Wythe
followed by Virginia with seven and Massachusetts was a professor at William & Mary, where his
and New Jersey with ve. Connecticut, Maryland, New students included the author of the Declaration of
York, and South Carolina each sent four delegates. Independence, omas Je erson.
Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, and North
Carolina each sent three. Rhode Island, the smallest Seventeen of the signers served in the military
colony, sent only two delegates to Philadelphia. during the American Revolution. omas Nelson was
a colonel in the Second Virginia Regiment and then
Eight of the signers were immigrants, two were commanded Virginia military forces at the Battle of
brothers, two were cousins, and one was an orphan. Yorktown. William Whipple served with the New
Hampshire militia and was one of the commanding
e average age of a signer was 45. e oldest delegate o cers in the decisive Saratoga campaign. Oliver
was Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, who was 70 Wolcott led the Connecticut regiments sent for the
when he signed the Declaration. e youngest was defense of New York and commanded a brigade
of militia that took part in the defeat of General
omas Lynch, Jr., of South Carolina, who was 27. Burgoyne. Caesar Rodney was a Major General in
the Delaware militia and John Hancock was the same
Eighteen of the signers were merchants or in the Massachusetts militia. Five of the signers were
businessmen, fourteen were farmers, and four were captured by the British during the war. Captains
doctors. Forty-two signers had served in their colonial Edward Rutledge, omas Heyward, and Arthur
legislatures. Twenty-two were lawyers—although Middleton (South Carolina) were all captured at the
William Hooper of North Carolina was “disbarred” Battle of Charleston in 1780; Colonel George Walton
when he spoke out against the Crown—and nine was wounded and captured at the Battle of Savannah.
were judges. Stephen Hopkins had been Governor of Richard Stockton of New Jersey never recovered from
Rhode Island. Although two others had been clergy his incarceration at the hands of British Loyalists and
previously, John Witherspoon of New Jersey was died in 1781.
the only active clergyman to attend—he wore his
ponti cals to the sessions. Almost all were Protestant
Christians; Charles Carroll of Maryland was the only

©THE BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Colonel omas McKean of Delaware wrote John United States House of Representatives, and six

Adams that he was “hunted like a fox by the enemy— became United States Senators. James Wilson and

compelled to remove my family ve times in a few Samuel Chase became Justices of the United States

months, and at last xed them in a little log house Supreme Court. omas Je erson, John Adams, and

on the banks of the Susquehanna . . . and they were Elbridge Gerry each became Vice President, and John

soon obliged to move again on Adams and omas Je erson

account of the incursions of became President. e sons

the Indians.” Abraham Clark [Colonel omas of signers John Adams and
of New Jersey had two of his Benjamin Harrison also

sons captured by the British McKean of Delaware] became Presidents.
during the war. e son of John was “hunted like a fox by
Witherspoon, a major in the the enemy—compelled Five signers played major
New Jersey Brigade, was killed to remove my family ve roles in the establishment
at the Battle of Germantown. of colleges and universities:
Benjamin Franklin and the

Eleven signers had their times in a few months…” University of Pennsylvania;

homes and property destroyed. Thomas Jefferson and the

Francis Lewis’s New York home University of Virginia;

was destroyed and his wife Benjamin Rush and Dickinson

was taken prisoner. John Hart’s farm and mills were College; Lewis Morris and New York University; and

destroyed when the British invaded New Jersey and George Walton and the University of Georgia.

he died while eeing capture. Carter Braxton and John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Charles
omas Nelson (both of Virginia) lent large sums Carroll were the longest surviving signers. Adams
and Je erson both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th
of their personal fortunes to support the war e ort, anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
but were never repaid.

Fi een of the signers participated in their states’ Charles Carroll of Maryland was the last signer to

constitutional conventions, and six—Roger Sherman, die—in 1832 at the age of 95.

Robert Morris, Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer,

James Wilson, and George Reed—signed the United

States Constitution. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. is the Director of the B.
attended the federal convention and, though he Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at
later supported the document, refused to sign the the Heritage Foundation. is piece was originally
Constitution. published in response to a widely circulated but

After the Revolution, thirteen of the signers factually inaccurate account of the lives of the

went on to become governors, and eighteen served Declaration’s signers. Reprinted with permission of

in their state legislatures. Sixteen became state the author.

and federal judges. Seven became members of the

Comprehension and Critical Thinking Questions

1. Who were the signers? What kinds of men 3. Who made the greatest sacrifices for the
signed the Declaration? principles embodied in the Declaration?

2. What happened to the signers as a result of 4. How do the sacri ces made by these men and
their a rmation of the principles outlined in their families demonstrate the importance of
the Declaration? courage and integrity?

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