1. Warm Up
Get a copy of “Revolutionary Tea” from your table folder and record the answers in the warm up section of your notebook.
Be ready to share
your answers!

2. Warm Up Who are the characters in this song? Who do they represent?
What island does the song refer to? What ocean is referred to?
What does the boiling tide represent?
What event in history does the song represent?
What are the feelings expressed in this song?

3. The Declaration of Independence

4. Background
July 4, 1776 – Declaration of Independence is adopted by Congress, John Hancock was the first person to sign it
August 2, 1776 – Declaration of Independence is signed by 50 present members of Congress, Franklin remarks “We must all hang together or we shall hang separately.”

5. Main Author – Thomas Jefferson
Although there were 5 men appointed to write the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was the main author

6. The Signers
John Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.
(He signed it very largely so King George could see it all the way from England.)
There were 56 signers of the Declaration from all of the 13 colonies.
Signing the Declaration was considered treason, punishable by death

7. Purpose
To show why the colonies were revolting against Britain and Declaring their Independence

8. Break Up Letter
The Declaration of Independence is really a break up letter from the colonists to the king.
If you were going to write someone a break up letter, what parts would you include?

9. Parts of a Break Up Letter
Part of Letter
Purpose
Introduction (Preamble)
To let the other person know that you shouldn’t be together any more
Statement of Rights
To explain what every person has a right to expect from a relationship
List of Grievances
To let them know the reasons why you have to break up with them
Resolution of Independence
To explain that you will be by yourself now and not together any more

10. Declaration of Independence Foldable
Fold in half (hamburger fold)
Cut a slit on the top sheet halfway down

11. Declaration of Independence Foldable
Cut 2 more slits so that you have 4 flaps
Preamble
Natural Rights
Label the flaps with labels shown
Grievances
Resolution of Independence

12. Declaration of Independence Foldable
Open foldable and record info on back of flaps
Introduction
With a partner, use your copy of the Declaration of Independence to write down a short phrase from each part of the document in this section
Rights of the people/role of gov’t
Colonists’ complaints
Colonists declare their independence

13. Declaration Puzzle
With a partner, you will cut out the headings and phrases from the Declaration of Independence.
Decide which section each statement belongs in and piece the Declaration back together!
When you figure it out, glue it on notebook paper and turn it in.

14. Enlightenment Jefferson used the Enlightenment ideas of JOHN LOCKE
People are born with certain natural rights: life, liberty and property
People form governments to protect these rights
If governments interfere with these rights, the people have the right to OVERTHROW them

15. A Landmark
Marks the FIRST TIME EVER that a group of revolutionaries explained in detail why they had the right to change their government
Ideas of the Declaration of Independence influenced the French Revolution and revolutions in South America.

16. American Revolution
Crash Course – American Revolution