The Declaration of Independence

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 Objectives
Students should be able to:
• Analyze persuasive appeals
• Analyze a public document
• Determine main idea and supporting
details

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 Vocabulary
1. unalienable(adj.) (uhn AYL yuh nuh buhl)
impossible to take away or give up.
*We believe that all men have certain unalienable rights.
2. constrains(v.) (kuhn STRAYNZ)
requires or forces.
*He constrained his anger at the needless interruption.
3. tyranny(n.) (TIHR uh nee)
oppressive power; unlimited use of power, or a government
which exercises such power without any control or limits.
*The king sought on absolute tyranny over the colonies.

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4. assent: (n.) (uh SEHNT)
approval or agreement.
*The general proposed a detailed plan and the
president assented.
5. acquiesce(adj.) (ak wee EHS)
accept something reluctantly but without
protest.
*Apparently the contractor expected me to
acquiesce to my own fleecing.

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6. rectitude(n.)( REHK tuh tood)
morally correct behavior or thinking;
uprightness.
*He encouraged the graduates to go on to
live lives of unimpeachable rectitude and
integrity.

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 Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks
rectitude /assent / tyranny / unalienable / constrained
1. Once the directors have given
their………………to the proposal we can begin.
2. She felt…………………..to apologize for the harm she'd
done.
3. No one questioned his moral………………
4. The right to survival has to be the first on any list
of ……………………rights for every human
being.

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 ANSWERS
• 1-assent
• 2-constrained
• 3-rectitude
• 4- unalienable

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 Historical Context
About The Author
Thomas Jefferson • Born on April 13, 1743 in
Virginia to a wealthy family.

• He was very well educated.

Attended The College of
William & Mary.

• Served in the Virginia House

of Burgesses.

• Eloquent correspondent, but

not good public speaker

• Known as the "silent

member" of the Congress

• Was unanimously chosen by

the Committee of Five to
prepare a draft of the
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Declaration alone.
 More 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.”

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 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

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 Purpose

• To show why the

colonies were
revolting against
Britain and Declaring
their Independence
from Great Britain and
that they are
asserting that right.

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 4 Parts of the Declaration of
Independence
• Preamble
• Declaration of Natural
Rights
• List of Grievances
• Resolution of
Independence

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 PREAMBLE
• First part of the Declaration of
Independence
• Introduction
• Explains why the Continental Congress
wrote the Declaration of Independence

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“When in the Course
of human events, it
becomes necessary
for one people to Preamble
dissolve the
political bands When it is necessary
which have for people to
connected them
with another…a separate from their
decent respect to government, these
the opinions of people need to tell
mankind requires others the reasons
that they should
declare the causes why they are
which impel them separating.
to separate.”
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 Declaration of Natural Rights
• Second part of the Declaration of
Independence
• Lists the rights of the citizens
• Explains that in a republic, the
government is there to protect the
rights of the people
• Jefferson calls these rights
UNALIENABLE rights, which means
they can never be taken away
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 Declaration of Natural Rights
“We hold these truths
to be self-evident, • These ideas are taken
that all men are from the Enlightenment
created equal, that thinker, John Locke who
they are endowed by said people have natural
their Creator with rights like life, liberty and
certain unalienable property.
Rights, that among
these are Life,
Liberty, and the
Pursuit of
Happiness.”

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 Declaration of Natural Rights
“That to secure • Government’s job is
these rights, to protect the rights of
Governments are the people
instituted among • Governments should
Men, deriving get their power from
their powers from the people they
the consent of the govern
governed…”

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 Declaration of Natural Rights
“ That whenever any
Form of Government
becomes destructive
of these ends, it is the • If a government is not
Right of the People to protecting the
alter or to abolish people’s rights the
it…it is their right, it people have the right
is their duty, to
throw off such
AND obligation to
Government and overthrow that
provide new Guards government and start
for their future a new one.
security.”
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 List of Grievances
• Third part of the Declaration of Independence
• List of the colonists’ complaints with England. The
body explains the abuses that the colonies have
suffered and the efforts they exerted to bring about a
change in attitude toward them.
• They specifically blame King George III
• There are 28 grievances( usurpations), or complaints,
that are listed in the Declaration of Independence.

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 List of Grievances
• Here are some of the complaints:
– British soldiers in colonies without NAVIGATION
ACTS
permission
– Quartering British troops in the colonies
– Not punishing these troops when they harm
colonists
– Cutting off the colonists’ trade with the rest
of the world
– Taxing the colonists without their
permission
STAMP
ACT
QUARTERING
ACT TEA INTOLERABLE
ACT ACTS
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 Resolution of Independence
• Final part of the
Declaration of
Independence
• Declares that the
colonies are “Free
and Independent
States”
• Includes the
signatures of the
signers of the
Declaration of
Independence
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 Resolution of Independence
• These states
have the power
to:
– Declare war
– Trade with other
countries
– Form alliances

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John Hancock was the first The Signers
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

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 Remember…
1. Main idea of Declaration of Independence and
Constitution – governments should be based
on the consent of the governed
2. Declaration of Independence states that
people have the right to overthrow an
oppressive government
3. The main purpose of the Declaration is to
justify the colonists’ revolt against England
4. First man to sign Declaration – John Hancock
5. John Locke contributed to the Declaration
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• 1.A
• 2.C
• 3.B

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How might the nature
of the
document dictate the
syntax Jefferson uses
to
open the Declaration of
Independence?
Possible response:
Jefferson’s sentence
length
and structure seem
typical of a formal or
legal
document

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 Question: These are strong, descriptive phrase
that Jefferson uses to make his point that the
colonists’ treatment by the King of Great Brita
has always been extreme, punitive, and unjus
CONCLUDE: I can conclude that the American
colonists would agree with Jefferson and that
language would stir up their own anger at the
king. I can conclude that British officials (since
they are loyal to the king) would feel highly
insulted by words like injuries, usurpations, an
tyranny. They would probably think that using
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such language makes Jefferson a traitor.
 Par. 8 The king has dissolved
organized groups that
oppose him

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Question: Probably Jefferson uses
these
verbs because they are frightening
and violentsounding.
He wants to draw attention to the
king’s repeatedly malicious behavior
and how it is
negatively affecting and harming
colonists.
CONCLUDE: I can conclude that in
1776,
these violent-sounding verbs
demonstrate the
resentment that colonists feel
toward the hostile
and violent actions of the king.
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Jefferson wants to end
on a hopeful and positive note and
includes
language that helps emphasize this.
He also
wants to acknowledge the gratitude
he feels for
the support of his fellow colonists
and the steps
they are taking toward
independence.

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• Word or Phrase Meaning
• reliance the ability to count on someone or something
• “divine providence” a loving God or higher power
• “mutually pledge” promise together
• “our fortunes” our fates; what will happen to us in the future
• “sacred honor” very important ability to be as

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• Possible responses:
• 1. The purpose is to give the reasons why it has
• become necessary for the United States to
• dissolve a political bond and become a separate
• nation.

• 2. It is their duty to “throw off” (or overthrow) the

• government and put safeguards in place to keep
• this from happening again.

• 3. If the two countries can repair their relationship,

• peace may be restored—but if not, they will
• continue to engage in war, as enemies.

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• 4. Answers will vary. Sample response: All people are created equal
and entitled to certain inalienable rights, for the protection of which
governments are created. For people in the American colonies, the
king has not protected these rights. He has committed numerous
offences against the colonies and ignored their attempts to seek
redress of grievances. The colonists have appealed to the British
people, too, but they have not helped their “brethren” obtain fair
treatment from the king. For these reasons, the colonies declare
themselves independent of Great Britain and have created a new
government with the fullpowers of independent states.

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• Analyze the Text
• Possible responses:
• 1. Jefferson is preparing to contrast the rights that the
colonists claim with the king’s behavior.
• 2. (a) People do not decide to change governments
• because of minor irritations.
• (b) People may be unwilling to face upheaval and
• bloodshed at the change in government.
• 3. (a) The king has been contemptuous of the
• colonists’ efforts to establish their own laws.
• (b) Since the king has ignored the colonists’ efforts to make
their own laws, they were tempted to declare independence.

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• 4. The purpose of the document is to explain why
• the colonies feel that they have been left with no
• other choice but to declare their independence.

• 5. Jefferson declares that freedom is based upon

• having certain basic “inalienable” human rights.
• If a ruler or leader does not protect these rights,
• people are not free.

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• Practice
• Possible responses:
• 1. (a) Inclusion of the word unanimous
• (b) Unanimity suggests that the decision is correct.
• 2. (a) Students might mark “abuses and usurpations.”
• (b) Jefferson contrasts the king’s “abuses,” with the colonists’ “rights.”
• 3. (a) The list of grievances is based on evidence, reasoning, and ethical
judgments.
• (b) The evidence ensures that the argument will not be discounted as just an
emotional appeal.
• 4. Jefferson’s Declaration is a demonstration of the logical thinking valued during
the Age of Reason.

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• Possible responses:

• 1. The vocabulary words show the seriousness of the

• colonists’ concerns about their rights.
• 2. Choices include abuses, despotism, neglected,
• invasions, and convulsions.

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