1. Characteristics of a Free Society

2. Objectives The students will… Standards:
Read the Declaration of Independence and the Four Freedoms
Analyze readings to pull out the characteristics of a free society
Standards:
GC.41 – Summarize the central ideas of iconic primary documents to identify the fundamental values and principles of a free society and evaluate their meaning and importance, including the writings and speeches of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan.

3. Warm-Up What some of the characteristics of a free society?
Brain storm with your group and come up with three examples. Pick the one you like the most and send a representative to write it on the whiteboard

4. Accountability

5. Associations

6. Equity and Equality

7. Holding Office

8. Justice

9. Popular Sovereignty (Democracy and Republic)

10. Trusteeship

11. A Free Society?
Based on all of these characteristics, how can we define “free society”?

12. America is a Free Society because…
Declaration of Independence
Written in 1776
Thomas Jefferson
A protest document against the abuses of the King of England

13. Activity
Read/listen to the Declaration of Independence with your group and identify THREE characteristics that we’ve discussed
Use textual evidence to back up your answers
Government book pgs 40-43

14. What did you find?

15. Speech Activity (4-5 people per group)
You and your group will be assigned a speech/writing made by either FDR, Abe Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, JFK, or Thomas Paine
Your task is to put the speech into a skit, song, or rap.
Identify two of the characteristics we discussed today in your assigned speech/document  include in your demonstration
Example: