Declaration of Independence, #3, Maureen Sablich

Expected Duration: 45 minutes/2 days

Social Sciences: Civics and Government, History
Concepts: Declaration of Independence
Vocabulary: See Glossary (page 13)
Skills: Summarizing the Declaration of Independence
Goals: Understanding the Declaration of Independence
Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives
-Students will demonstrate understanding of the Declaration of
Independence through summarizing the document.
-Students will be able to recap the Declaration of Independence in a
newspaper article.
Standards PA Civics
- Standard 5.1.4.B Explain rules and laws for the classroom,
school, community, and state.
- Standard 5.1.4.C Identify key ideas about government found in
significant documents.
Standards PA History
- Standard 8.3.4.B Locate historical documents, artifacts, and
places critical to United States history.
- Standard 8.4.4.C Explain how continuity and change in world
history have influenced personal development and identity.
NCSS.1.6 Theme Six- Power, Authority, and Governance: Social
Studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and
dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate
school level for the study of Power, Authority and Governance.
Teachers of Social Studies at all levels should provide developmentally
appropriate experiences as they guide learners in the study of power,
authority, and governance.
-

NCSS.1.6.e ...have learners explain conditions, actions, and

motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation within
and among nations
- NCSS.1.6.h ...guide learners to explain how governments attempt
to achieve their stated ideals at home and abroad
NCSS.1.2 Theme Two- Time, Continuity, and Change: Social
Studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and
dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate
school level for the study of Time, Continuity, and Change. Teachers of
social studies at all school levels should provide developmentally
appropriate experiences as they guide learners in the study of time,
continuity, and change.
- NCSS.1.2.b ...have learners apply key concepts from the study of
history such as time, chronology, causality, change, conflict, and

complexity to explain, analyze, and show connections among the

patterns of historical change and continuity
Anticipatory Set
To introduce the lesson on the Declaration of Independence, students
will watch a Brain Pop video about the Declaration of Independence.
Teacher says: Thinking about yesterdays lesson on colonization,
remind us on some of the jobs and the life during the colonial era.
During this time who controlled the colonys?
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/declarationofindepen
dence/
username: pinerun
password: pinerun
Procedures
1. The teacher will hand out a copy of the Declaration of
Independence and have the students preview it.
2. Then the teacher will hand out a copy of the translated
Declaration of Independence and a glossary of difficult words in
the document to each student.
3. The class will be put into pairs based on grade level and level of
needed help. Students who need extra help from the teacher will
be put into a group to work together alongside the teacher. The
groups will read over the Declaration of Independence. Students
can also receive an audio recording of the document or a
translation if needed.
4. After reading over the Declaration two pairs will come together
and summarize the document together.
5. While the students are summarizing and reading the teacher will
walk around to provide guidance as needed and to check for
progress in completing the lessons objectives.
6. After the students are finished reading and summarizing, they
will complete a written prompt of a newspaper article that would
be written when the Declaration of Independence was written.
The newspaper article template will be changed based on the
students needs.
7. Students will share their newspaper articles in selected groups.
Differentiation
-Enrichment: During Guided Practice, two students will be paired
together who need an extra challenge. During Independent practice,
students will be given an article template with a larger space to write
and an opportunity to draw two pictures representing the Declaration
of Independence.

-Adaptations: During Guided Practice, the students who need extra

help will be put in a group and work alongside the help of the teacher.
If needed students can have an audio recording of the document.
During Independent Practice, students will be given an article template
with a small space to write and an opportunity to draw one picture
representing the Declaration of Independence.
Closure
The class will create a classroom summary of the Declaration of
Independence and display it in the classroom. She will then have each
student say one thing they learned from the lesson about the
Declaration of Independence. Students will give a thumbs up or
thumbs down if the agree with the given classroom rule.

Formative Assessment
While students are completing the guided practice reading and
summary, the teacher will walk around the classroom and monitor
each students ability to summarize the given document.

Summative Assessment
Each student will demonstrate their knowledge of the Declaration of
Independence by completing the newspaper article.
-Extension: During Independent practice, students will be given
an article template with a larger space to write and an
opportunity to draw two pictures representing the Declaration of
Independence.
-Enrichment: During Independent Practice, students will be given
an article template with a small space to write and an
opportunity to draw one picture representing the Declaration of
Independence.

Materials
Student Materials:
-Copy of the Declaration of Independence Translation (See page 4)
-Copy of Declaration of Independence (See Page 7)
-Newspaper Article Template (See Page 9)
-Glossary Sheet of Vocab (See Page 13)
Teacher Materials:
-Smartboard/Projector
-BrainPop Video

-Teacher Note Sheet (See Page 14)

Technology
-Smartboard/Projector
-BrainPop Video
Reflection
When writing this lesson I had many concerns such as the language
that comes with the Declaration of Independence and I think as this is
taught the students will have questions about some language. I think
the students being paired with other students at the same level will
help them understand the document. After consideration, I decided to
have the students use a translation document.

Translation of the Declaration of Independence

(Paraphrased by Robert Wittenstein)
Sometimes it is necessary for a group of people to separate themselves from
their government and create a new (separate) country. This is a serious decision
so it is important that we, the Thirteen United States of America, spell out the
causes that make this necessary.
All men are created equal; God has not selected anyone to rule over us. God has
granted all men certain rights, and these rights cannot be taken away by any
government. These rights include Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Governments are created by man and get their power from the consent (or
permission) of the governed. When a government stops acting in the interest of
the people, the people have the right to alter or abolish their ties to that
government and form a new government.
Good judgment requires that governments that have served the people for a long
time not be cast aside lightly. But when a long train of abuses by a government
shows that they do not care about the people they govern, it is the peoples right
to throw off the government and form a new one.
The Colonies have suffered in this way for a long time. King George III, the King
of Great Britain has repeatedly made laws and judgments that injure us and we
live under absolute tyranny. To prove this let us list his offences:
He has refused to approve laws that we have passed that will help the Colonies
govern themselves.

He has forbidden the Colonies from putting into effect new laws until he approves
them. Once we submit them for his approval he ignores them.
He has called lawmakers together at unusual places, at strange times and in
uncomfortable places so that we will be fatigued into agreeing with him.
If he doesnt like what one of the Colonies legislatures has done, he disbands
the legislature and sends the lawmakers home. He has done this over and over.
When this happens he refuses to let new lawmakers be elected. This leaves our
Colonies without a local government to protect us.
He has failed to encourage new people to move here and has refused to open up
new areas in the colonies for people to live.
He refuses to appoint judges and once appointed he doesnt give Colonial judges
the power to decide cases.
He makes judges do what he wants by making them dependent on him for their
salary. Judges are afraid that if they do something he doesnt like he will withhold
the judges pay.
He sends over swarms of government employees who harass us and they are a
burden on our taxes.
Even during peacetime, he keeps large armies here without our permission.
These armies must be housed and feed from our tax money.
His army refuses to obey the police force and they break laws when they want. If
they commit a crime he protects them with mock military trials where they are
always found innocent.
He has cut off our trade with the rest of the world. He insists that everything we
purchase we buy from England. He also insists that all our goods are sold back
to England even when we could get better prices somewhere else.
He taxes us without our permission.
He arrests us and sends us back to England for trial for made-up crimes.
He threatens to abolish all our laws and appoint a harsh military government to
rule over us if we continue to fight for our rights.
He has declared that we are not under his protection any longer and he wages
war against us.

He captures our ships, burns our towns, and destroys the lives of our people. He
is sending even larger armies to the Colonies to make war against us.
He gives guns to the Indian savages and encourages them to attack us.
Through all of this, we have been patient and loyal subjects. But each time we
have asked for him to help us, we get further injury as the answer. He is a tyrant
and is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
The Parliament has also taken away our rights and they do not listen when we
protest.
Therefore, it is necessary that we announce our separation. If Great Britain wants
to be an enemy then we are at war. If they want friendship then we will have
peace.
Therefore, we the representatives of all the United States appeal to God and by
Gods power, and for the good of the Colonies, we declare that these United
Colonies are and will be free and independent states. We separate ourselves
from Great Britain. We do not have any allegiance to them from now on.
We now have the full power of independent countries. We have the power to
wage war, conclude peace and make alliances with other countries.
With a firm belief that what we are doing is right in the eyes of God, we all pledge
to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
Source:
http://benjaminallensmith.com/Benjamin_A._Smith/U.S._History
_I/U.S._History_I_files/Declaration%20Paraphrased%20in
%20Modern%20Language.pdf

Copy of Declaration of Independence

INCONGRESS,JULY4,1776
TheunanimousDeclarationofthethirteenunitedStatesof
America

henintheCourseofhumaneventsitbecomesnecessaryforonepeople
todissolvethepoliticalbandswhichhaveconnectedthemwithanother
andtoassumeamongthepowersoftheearth,theseparateandequal
stationtowhichtheLawsofNatureandofNature'sGodentitlethem,a
decentrespecttotheopinionsofmankindrequiresthattheyshould
declarethecauseswhichimpelthemtotheseparation.
Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,
thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,
thatamongtheseareLife,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness.
Thattosecuretheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,
derivingtheirjustpowersfromtheconsentofthegoverned,That
wheneveranyFormofGovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,

itistheRightofthePeopletoalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenew
Government,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciplesandorganizingits
powersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheir
SafetyandHappiness.Prudence,indeed,willdictatethatGovernments
longestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcauses;
andaccordinglyallexperiencehathshewnthatmankindaremore
disposedtosuffer,whileevilsaresufferablethantorightthemselvesby
abolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed.Butwhenalong
trainofabusesandusurpations,pursuinginvariablythesameObject
evincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsoluteDespotism,itistheir
right,itistheirduty,tothrowoffsuchGovernment,andtoprovidenew
Guardsfortheirfuturesecurity.Suchhasbeenthepatientsufferance
oftheseColonies;andsuchisnowthenecessitywhichconstrainsthem
toaltertheirformerSystemsofGovernment.Thehistoryofthepresent
KingofGreatBritainisahistoryofrepeatedinjuriesandusurpations,
allhavingindirectobjecttheestablishmentofanabsoluteTyranny
overtheseStates.Toprovethis,letFactsbesubmittedtoacandid
world.
HehasrefusedhisAssenttoLaws,themostwholesomeandnecessary
forthepublicgood.
HehasforbiddenhisGovernorstopassLawsofimmediateand
pressingimportance,unlesssuspendedintheiroperationtillhisAssent
shouldbeobtained;andwhensosuspended,hehasutterlyneglectedto
attendtothem.
HehasrefusedtopassotherLawsfortheaccommodationoflarge
districtsofpeople,unlessthosepeoplewouldrelinquishtherightof
RepresentationintheLegislature,arightinestimabletothemand
formidabletotyrantsonly.
Hehascalledtogetherlegislativebodiesatplacesunusual,
uncomfortable,anddistantfromthedepositoryoftheirPublicRecords,
forthesolepurposeoffatiguingthemintocompliancewithhis
measures.
HehasdissolvedRepresentativeHousesrepeatedly,foropposingwith
manlyfirmnesshisinvasionsontherightsofthepeople.
Hehasrefusedforalongtime,aftersuchdissolutions,tocauseothers

tobeelected,wherebytheLegislativePowers,incapableof
Annihilation,havereturnedtothePeopleatlargefortheirexercise;the
Stateremaininginthemeantimeexposedtoallthedangersofinvasion
fromwithout,andconvulsionswithin.
HehasendeavouredtopreventthepopulationoftheseStates;forthat
purposeobstructingtheLawsforNaturalizationofForeigners;refusing
topassotherstoencouragetheirmigrationshither,andraisingthe
conditionsofnewAppropriationsofLands.
HehasobstructedtheAdministrationofJusticebyrefusinghisAssent
toLawsforestablishingJudiciaryPowers.
HehasmadeJudgesdependentonhisWillaloneforthetenureoftheir
offices,andtheamountandpaymentoftheirsalaries.
HehaserectedamultitudeofNewOffices,andsenthitherswarmsof
Officerstoharassourpeopleandeatouttheirsubstance.
Hehaskeptamongus,intimesofpeace,StandingArmieswithoutthe
Consentofourlegislatures.
HehasaffectedtorendertheMilitaryindependentofandsuperiorto
theCivilPower.
Hehascombinedwithotherstosubjectustoajurisdictionforeignto
ourconstitution,andunacknowledgedbyourlaws;givinghisAssentto
theirActsofpretendedLegislation:
Forquarteringlargebodiesofarmedtroopsamongus:
Forprotectingthem,byamockTrialfrompunishmentforanyMurders
whichtheyshouldcommitontheInhabitantsoftheseStates:
ForcuttingoffourTradewithallpartsoftheworld:
ForimposingTaxesonuswithoutourConsent:
Fordeprivingusinmanycases,ofthebenefitofTrialbyJury:
FortransportingusbeyondSeastobetriedforpretendedoffences:
ForabolishingthefreeSystemofEnglishLawsinaneighbouring
Province,establishingthereinanArbitrarygovernment,andenlarging
itsBoundariessoastorenderitatonceanexampleandfitinstrument
forintroducingthesameabsoluteruleintotheseColonies
FortakingawayourCharters,abolishingourmostvaluableLawsand
alteringfundamentallytheFormsofourGovernments:
ForsuspendingourownLegislatures,anddeclaringthemselves

investedwithpowertolegislateforusinallcaseswhatsoever.
HehasabdicatedGovernmenthere,bydeclaringusoutofhis
ProtectionandwagingWaragainstus.
Hehasplunderedourseas,ravagedourcoasts,burntourtowns,and
destroyedthelivesofourpeople.
HeisatthistimetransportinglargeArmiesofforeignMercenariesto
compleattheworksofdeath,desolation,andtyranny,alreadybegun
withcircumstancesofCruelty&Perfidyscarcelyparalleledinthemost
barbarousages,andtotallyunworthytheHeadofacivilizednation.
HehasconstrainedourfellowCitizenstakenCaptiveonthehighSeas
tobearArmsagainsttheirCountry,tobecometheexecutionersoftheir
friendsandBrethren,ortofallthemselvesbytheirHands.
Hehasexciteddomesticinsurrectionsamongstus,andhas
endeavouredtobringontheinhabitantsofourfrontiers,themerciless
IndianSavageswhoseknownruleofwarfare,isanundistinguished
destructionofallages,sexesandconditions.
IneverystageoftheseOppressionsWehavePetitionedforRedressin
themosthumbleterms:OurrepeatedPetitionshavebeenanswered
onlybyrepeatedinjury.APrince,whosecharacteristhusmarkedby
everyactwhichmaydefineaTyrant,isunfittobetherulerofafree
people.
NorhaveWebeenwantinginattentionstoourBritishbrethren.We
havewarnedthemfromtimetotimeofattemptsbytheirlegislatureto
extendanunwarrantablejurisdictionoverus.Wehaveremindedthem
ofthecircumstancesofouremigrationandsettlementhere.Wehave
appealedtotheirnativejusticeandmagnanimity,andwehaveconjured
thembythetiesofourcommonkindredtodisavowtheseusurpations,
whichwouldinevitablyinterruptourconnectionsandcorrespondence.
Theytoohavebeendeaftothevoiceofjusticeandofconsanguinity.
Wemust,therefore,acquiesceinthenecessity,whichdenouncesour
Separation,andholdthem,asweholdtherestofmankind,Enemiesin
War,inPeaceFriends.
We,therefore,theRepresentativesoftheunitedStatesofAmerica,in
GeneralCongress,Assembled,appealingtotheSupremeJudgeofthe
worldfortherectitudeofourintentions,do,intheName,andby

AuthorityofthegoodPeopleoftheseColonies,solemnlypublishand
declare,ThattheseunitedColoniesare,andofRightoughttobeFree
andIndependentStates,thattheyareAbsolvedfromallAllegianceto
theBritishCrown,andthatallpoliticalconnectionbetweenthemand
theStateofGreatBritain,isandoughttobetotallydissolved;andthat
asFreeandIndependentStates,theyhavefullPowertolevyWar,
concludePeace,contractAlliances,establishCommerce,andtodoall
otherActsandThingswhichIndependentStatesmayofrightdo.
AndforthesupportofthisDeclaration,withafirmrelianceonthe
protectionofDivineProvidence,wemutuallypledgetoeachotherour
Lives,ourFortunes,andoursacredHonor.
NewHampshire:
JosiahBartlett,WilliamWhipple,MatthewThornton
Massachusetts:
JohnHancock,SamuelAdams,JohnAdams,RobertTreatPaine,
ElbridgeGerry
RhodeIsland:
StephenHopkins,WilliamEllery
Connecticut:
RogerSherman,SamuelHuntington,WilliamWilliams,OliverWolcott
NewYork:
WilliamFloyd,PhilipLivingston,FrancisLewis,LewisMorris
NewJersey:
RichardStockton,JohnWitherspoon,FrancisHopkinson,JohnHart,
AbrahamClark
Pennsylvania:
RobertMorris,BenjaminRush,BenjaminFranklin,JohnMorton,
GeorgeClymer,JamesSmith,GeorgeTaylor,JamesWilson,George
Ross
Delaware:
CaesarRodney,GeorgeRead,ThomasMcKean
Maryland:
SamuelChase,WilliamPaca,ThomasStone,CharlesCarrollof
Carrollton
Virginia:

GeorgeWythe,RichardHenryLee,ThomasJefferson,Benjamin
Harrison,ThomasNelson,Jr.,FrancisLightfootLee,CarterBraxton
NorthCarolina:
WilliamHooper,JosephHewes,JohnPenn
SouthCarolina:
EdwardRutledge,ThomasHeyward,Jr.,ThomasLynch,Jr.,Arthur
Middleton
Georgia:
ButtonGwinnett,LymanHall,GeorgeWalton
Source:http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

NewspaperArticleTemplates

Glossary
Pursuit- the action searching for something

Disbands- to break up or stop functioning

Appoint- to assign a job or role
Swarms- to move somewhere in large numbers

New England States

Resources for Kids:
http://discovernewengland.org/about-new-england/new-englandusa-quick-facts-0
http://discovernewengland.org/things-do/historyheritage/colonial-history--southern-tour

Brainpop.com
o Username pinerun
o Password pine run
http://go.grolier.com
o username buckshome
o password buckshome
http://www.worldbookonline.com/kids/home#article/ar831228
o username cblibrary
o password cblibrary

Resources:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-england/history
http://www.britannica.com/place/New-England

Information:
Named by Captain John Smith
Settled by English Puritans
Climate: Seasonal
Said to be passionate about sports
Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe
Presidents: John F. Kennedy, George HW Bush, Barack Obama
Were amongst the first to demonstrate ambitions of
independence from the British Crown
Declaration Of Independence signed on July 4th 1776
Fundamental role in the movement to abolish slavery
First college founded Harvard in Massachusetts in 1636
First Thanksgiving celebrated in Massachusetts in 1621
First battle of revolutionary war was fought in Massachusetts in
1775
First person to sign the Declaration of Independence was John
Hancock (Massachusetts native) in 1776
Bay State
New England Confederation
o Group that was formed in 1643 to help settle problems in
the 4 American colonies: Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Plymouth, New Haven
o True to defend the colonies against the Dutch, French, and
American Indians
o Ended in 1684

Sources
Chan,W.,&Yu,E.(2015,June17).IsHongKong'sfightfordemocracyinitsfinalround?Retrieved
January4,2016,fromhttp://www.cnn.com/2015/06/16/china/hongkongdemocracyvote
explainer/index.html
DeclarationofIndependence.(n.d.).RetrievedJanuary4,2015,from
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/declarationofindependence/
DeclarationofIndependence.(n.d.).RetrievedJanuary4,2015,from
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
Wittenstein,R.(n.d.).TheDeclarationofIndependence.RetrievedJanuary4,2015,from
http://benjaminallensmith.com/Benjamin_A._Smith/U.S._History_I/U.S._History_I_files/Declaration
ParaphrasedinModernLanguage.pdf

Current Event
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/16/china/hong-kong-democracy-voteexplainer/index.html
A. Hong Kong and China
B. This article relates to this lesson through an event that may lead
to the independence of a nation. In the instance of the article,
Hong Kong wanted to gain government/ voting independence
from China.
C. Chan,W.,&Yu,E.(2015,June17).IsHongKong'sfightfordemocracyinitsfinalround?
RetrievedJanuary4,2016,fromhttp://www.cnn.com/2015/06/16/china/hongkongdemocracy
voteexplainer/index.html