A Few of Notes Declaration of Independence July 4 1776 Adopted by the Continental Congress of the 13 American Colonies The main purpose was to explain and give reasons why the American colonists were revolting against the British Empire ID: 257443
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Declaration of Independence" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1Slide2
Declaration of Independence
A Few of NotesSlide3
Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776
Adopted by the Continental Congress of the 13 American Colonies
The main purpose was to explain and give reasons why the American colonists were revolting against the British Empire
Thomas Jefferson composed original draft
The Revolutionary War had already begunSlide4
Declaration of Independence
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”Slide5
Declaration of Independence
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”Slide6
More stuff…
and then
a long list of grievances
.
And then…Slide7
Declaration of Independence
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States…”Slide8
WHATEVA!
I DO WHAT I WANT!Slide9
Now for some critical reading…
But first…Slide10
Primary and Secondary Sources
Who knows what “primary sources” and “secondary sources” are?
primary source
a
n original document from the first source
secondary source
a secondhand account or something writing
about
an original document or first source
Also…Slide11
i
deology
What does the word “ideology” mean?
ideology
a
body of ideas that reflects the beliefs and interests of a group of people, nation, political system, etc. and underlies their actions
So…Slide12
Historians have disagreed as to whether the colonial leaders were motivated by selfish or ideological reasons when writing the Declaration of Independence
.
What would be some examples of ideological reasons?
What would be some examples of selfish reasons?Slide13
Now we’ll read two historians’ interpretations of the
Declaration of Independence
and discuss.Slide14
To Do:
Read the excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and summarize in the space provided
Then read the excerpts about the Declaration from two historians, Bernard
Bailyn
and Howard
Zinn
, and summarize what their claims are
Then on a separate sheet of paper, which I will collect, please answer the following question:
Based on the words in the Preamble, and the interpretations you read by
Bailyn
and
Zinn
, do you think the Declaration of Independence was written for selfish or ideological reasons?