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Why is this document so important to the American people? Watch the video below to find out!
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcZK2CF3mZ8
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4.
Read the passage on the “Declaration of Independence.
You can do it as a “bump” activity with your partners.
Highlight key information in the passage.
Answer questions #2-4.
Affirm- To verify that something is true
Grievance- A complaint
Independence- Freedom from the control of others
Declaration- A powerful
statement that is official
Unalienable Rights - Freedoms that
everyone is born with and cannot
be taken away (Life, Liberty,
Pursuit of Happiness)
Let’s
get started…
… by learning a little
history
(you don’t have to take notes on this part)
Jamestown
13 English colonies
… the colonies
experienced some selfgovernment .
Until..
King George III of
Great Britain began to
establish new policies
on the colonies.
NO TAXATION WITHOUT
REPRESENTATION
… tried to reason and
compromise with the king to
stop the taxes
King George III refused to
comply and added more forces
and taxes
 The
Committee of Five was
created to write a letter to
the king.
 Thomas
Jefferson wrote
the document alone and it
was later edited by the
committee.
? After you watch the video,
discuss these questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What symbols do you recognize?
What is the tone/feeling of the video?
Identify the main idea expressed in the
video?
How does the video help you to understand
the events leading up to the Declaration of
Independence?
http://www.schooltube.com/video/e1895c4c1683c3124733/
Essential Question- What is the Declaration of
Independence and what key ideas from it are used in
our gov’t today?
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Date- July 4, 1776
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Author- Thomas Jefferson (one of the members of the Committee of
Five)
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PurposeListed grievances the colonies had against King George of England
Affirmed that people have unalienable rights that cannot be taken
away
All people are equal under the law
Declared the colonies to be independent from Great Britain
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Influence on the ConstitutionRights and liberties of the people should be protected
Government cannot tell the people what to do
Fundamental PrinciplesLimited government
Consent of the governed
We hold these truths to be selfevident, 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.”
“
R
That all men are created equal;
That no person is better than any other person;
That they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights;
That each person is born with rights that
cannot be changed or taken away by anyone;
That among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.
These rights include life (the freedom to act or
believe as you choose), and the freedom to do
those things that you believe will lead to your
happiness
To secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men,
To protect these rights, people form
governments.
Deriving their powers from the consent of the
governed.
Governments get only the amount of power
that the people want to give them.
C
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N
D
P R I
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Y
We believe that the following is very clear
M A
S
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We hold these truths to be self-evident:
A
http://www.schooltube.com/video/4ce52bdb47884d2fb3a8/
Write
a summary for the lesson.
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Did you highlight new vocabulary in your notes?
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Complete the assignment on the bottom of page 79.
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Complete the Declaration of Independence Activity on page
81-82.