Declaration+of+Independence

toc The armed conflict during the American Revolution gradually convinced the colonists that separation from Britain was essential. Several colonies instructed their delegates to the Continental Congress to vote for independence. On June 7, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia offered a resolution for independence. The congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston to draft a declaration. Jefferson was persuaded to write the draft, which was presented with few changes on June 28. It began with a declaration of individual rights and then listed the acts of tyranny by George III that formed the justification for seeking independence. After debate and changes to accommodate regional interests, including deletion of a condemnation of slavery, it was approved on July 4 as "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America." It was signed by Congress president John Hancock, printed, and read aloud to a crowd assembled outside, then engrossed (written in script) on parchment and signed by the 56 delegates. // http://www.answers.com/topic/united-states-declaration-of-independence //

Resources
Link to the actual Declaration of Independence: http://www.answers.com/topic/the-declaration-of-independence
 * Ch 6, History Alive Textbook
 * Text of Declaration of Independence, History Alive Textbook p. 470
 * John Locke and Natural Rights packet (see me for this handout, no digital copies, sorry)
 * Primary source document on John Locke's //Two Treatises on Government// (see me for this handout, no digital copies, sorry)
 * Notes page for Ch 6 (see me for this handout, no digital copies, sorry)
 * Reading on The Firebrands (see me for this handout, no digital copies, sorry)
 * Cornell Notes on The Firebrands (sample attached below)
 * "Reading the Declaration of Independence" handout
 * Excerpts handout exercise (see me for this handout, no digital copies, sorry)

**Key Terms and People**
http://www.civiced.org/index.php?page=MS_Student_Book
 * John Locke, 'Natural Rights,' and //Two Treatises on Government// (1689)
 * Thomas Paine & "Common Sense" (1776)
 * Declaration of Independence (1776)
 * grievances
 * Firebrands
 * Natural Rights / Laws of Nature:

Assignments
Political Manifesto:

Previous Years Writing:
 * Declaration of Independence Writing Project **