• What do you know about the Declaration of
Independence?
Influence of Earlier Documents on
the Constitution
• Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom
▫
Freedom
beliefs and opinions.
of religious
Declaration of Independence
• This document was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, who
later would become America’s third president. The
Declaration was adopted by the Continental Congress
in July 1776 and is America’s founding document. The
words and ideas contained in it will be referred to
frequently throughout the year.
Declaration of Independence
• Carefully read the first two paragraphs of the
Declaration and then answer the questions on the
Influential Documents handout.
Declaration of Independence
1. What is the main purpose of this document? For
whom was it written?
▫ The main purpose of the document is to reject
the sovereignty, or authority, of British control
over the colonies and was written for the King of
Great Britain.
2. What sort of action is the Declaration attempting
to justify? Why do you think the Declaration
regards this action as a serious and unusual one?
▫ The Declaration is attempting to justify why the
colonists were rebelling against British control.
This action is considered serious because the
colonists had sworn allegiance to Great Britain
and had sought protection for many years .
Declaration of Independence
3. What does the Declaration suggest is the
relationship between a government and the
people it governs?
▫ The Declaration asserts that sovereignty – the
ultimate governing authority – resides with the
people.
4. What justifies the ending of the relationship between a
government and the people it governs?
▫ The justification of ending the relationship between
a government and the people it governs in the
Declaration was “whenever any Form of Government
becomes destructive of those Ends” for which
government is created, it is the right of the people to
“alter or abolish it” and to create a new government
that will serve those ends.
Influence of Earlier Documents on
the Constitution
• Declaration of Independence
▫ Stated
grievances
against the
king of Great Britain .
Influence of Earlier Documents on
the Constitution
• Declaration of Independence
▫ Declared the
independence
colonies’
from Great Britain.
Influence of Earlier Documents on
the Constitution
•Declaration of Independence
▫ Affirmed “certain unalienable rights”
(
life
, liberty , and the
pursuit of happiness ).
Influence of Earlier Documents on
the Constitution
• Declaration of Independence
▫
Jefferson argued that
all
citizens have rights which
cannot be taken away.
Influence of Earlier Documents on
the Constitution
•Declaration of Independence
▫ Established the idea that all people
are equal under the law .
Declaration of
Independence
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