Declaration of Independence
description
Transcript of Declaration of Independence
Analyzing the
Declaration of Independence
The Road to Independence – DEEP background
1215 – Magna Carta
1642-48 - the English Civil War
1688 - The Glorious Revolution
1689 - The English Bill of Right a century and a half of Colonial home Rule
The Road to Independence
1763 – French & Indian War ends
April 1764 – Sugar Act
March 1765 – Stamp Act
June 1767 – Townshend Act
The Road to Independence
March 1770 – Boston Massacre
Dec. 1773 – Boston Tea Party
March - June 1774 – Intolerable Acts
Sept. - Oct. 1774 - 1st Continental Congress
The Road to Independence 1775 April 18 – Paul Revere, Wm. Dawes, &
Wentworth Cheswell each “ride & spread the alarm . . . .”
April 19 – Battles of Lexington & Concord May 10 – Ethan Allen & GMB take
Ft. Ticonderoga May - 2nd Continental Congress meets June 15 – G. Washington named Commander
in Chief June 16 – Battle of Bunker (Breed's) Hill
Paul Revere's Ride - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow • Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;Hardly a man is now aliveWho remembers that famous day and year. He said to his friend, "If the British marchBy land or sea from the town to-night,Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry archOf the North Church tower as a signal light,--One if by land, and two if by sea;And I on the opposite shore will be,Ready to ride and spread the alarmThrough every Middlesex village and farm,For the country folk to be up and to arm."
April 19, 1775 – Battles of Lexington & Concord
Concord Bridge
http://www.earlyamerica.com/shot_heard.htm
The Road to Independence1776
Jan. - Thomas Paine's Common Sense published March – British evacuate from Boston June 7 – Richard Henry Lee proposes
independence June 11 – Committee of Five appointed July 4 – Declaration of Independence ratified August 2 – Declaration of Independence signed
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
published
Jan. 1776
The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.
Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776
• But where says some is the King of America? I'll tell you Friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal Brute of Britain...let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the word of God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know,..., that in America the LAW IS KING.
Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776
March 1776 – British evacuate from Boston
June 7, 1776 – Richard Henry Lee
proposes independence
June 7, 1776 – Richard Henry Lee
proposes independence
these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
June 11, 1776 – Committee of Five
Committee of Five members (from left to right)
Benjamin Franklin,
Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston,
John Adams, and
Roger Sherman.
• http://www.earlyamerica.com/independence.htm
July 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence
ratified
What ‘s happening?
What sectors of colonial society were represented on the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence?
What groups were excluded?
What kind of issues do you think these men are talking about?
It's July! The windows are closed. What do you think the atmosphere is like in the room?
What concerns do you think these people might have as they drafted the document?
How do you think the King and Parliament felt about this meeting?
What important event is going on in the colonies other than this meeting in 1776?
Wrap-Up: A few questions.
In general why was the Declaration written? What basic rights does the document claim individuals
have? According to the document, why do the colonists have
the right to declare independence? According to the colonists, how has the King
responded to their grievances? How do you think the King and parliament felt when
they read this? What do you think their response was? What risks did the colonists take by writing this?
Wrap-Up: A few questions.
From whose point of view was the Declaration of Independence written?
What colonial actions were omitted, or not mentioned, in the document? Why do you think they are omitted?
What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence? Why is this document still significant today?
What do you see in this image? What is the caption?
What symbols do you see? What does the horse represent? Who is on the horse?
Who is the man in the background? What is each man holding? What is the horse doing?
Why might the horse want to throw off the rider? What is the artist's message?
Was the artist a Loyalist or Patriot? Why do you think that? How does it relate to the Declaration?
Concord Hymnby Ralph Waldo Emerson
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,Here once the embattled farmers stood,And fired the shot heard round the world.
The foe long since in silence slept;Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;And Time, the ruined bridge has sweptDown the dark stream which seaward creeps.
Concord Hymnby Ralph Waldo Emerson
On this green bank, by this soft stream,We set today a votive stone;That memory may their deed redeem,When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
The Holy Spirit, made those heroes dareto die, and leave their children free,Bid Time and Nature gently spareThe shaft we raise to them and Thee.