6.5 Thomas Jefferson Drafts The
Declaration
By: Maddie, Nicole, Katie, and Javier
Thomas Jefferson Drafts The Declaration
❖
❖
Thomas Jefferson was given the task of drafting the Declaration.
He had to explain to the world why the colonies were going to separate from
Britain.
❖ Continental congress appointed a committee to write Declaration of
Independence few weeks after the British left Boston.
Natural Rights
❖
❖
Jefferson stated in the Declaration that all people are created equal in god's
Eyes.
His explanation was simple, but revolutionary.
“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”
-Thomas Jefferson (pg 83 of History Alive Textbook)
The King’s crime
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❖
❖
Jefferson included a long list of the King abuses.
In all these actions he said that king George III was unfit to be king.
The king had shown no concern for the colonists rights.
Important People
❖ Thomas Jefferson
➢
He drafted the Declaration of Independence.
❖ Benjamin Franklin
➢
He suggested changes to be made in the first draft of the Declaration of
Independence.
❖ John Adams
➢
He suggested changes to be made in the first draft of the Declaration of
Independence.
❖ King George III
➢
Thomas Jefferson wrote about the Kings crime’s.
Important Places
❖ Britain
➢
❖
The colonies were looking to break ties from Britain.
Virginia
➢
The home of Thomas Jefferson.
Questions
1. Who was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence?
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. Benjamin Franklin
c. John Adams
d. John Hancock
Questions
2.
What was one key topic included in the Declaration of Independence?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Natural Rights
Animal Rights
World Peace
All of the above
Questions
3. What did Thomas Jefferson say about God?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Everyone was treated the same.
Everyone was the same.
All people were born equal in God’s sight.
Everyone deserves a pet.
Question
4. Who were two people that made changes to the first draft of the
Declaration of Independence?
e.
f.
g.
h.
George Washington and John Adams
Benjamin Franklin and John Albert
Benjamin Franklin and John Adams
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln
Questions
5. Thomas Jefferson once said We hold these truths to be what?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Self-evident
created equal
happiness
liberty
Answers Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Thomas Jefferson
Natural rights
All people were born equal in God’s sight.
Benjamin Franklin and John Adams
Self-evident