DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

A people divided

Patriots wanted Liberty while the Loyalists stayed loyal

500,000 loyalists wanted to stay with England. Many more wanted to fight.

1/3 of the Continental Congress wanted independence.

PATRIOTS VS. LOYALISTS

Common Sense Thomas Paine

“Common Sense is working a powerful change in the minds of men.” George

Washington

“I challenge the warmest advocate for reconciliation, to show a single advantage that this continent can reap, by being connected with Great Britain…”

50 Page Pamphlet500,000 copies sold

in 6 months

PATRIOTS VS. LOYALISTS

At age 33 Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence.

Very shyGreat writer and

very educatedJohns Adams and

Benjamin Franklin helped write it but only contributed a little bit to it.

THOMAS JEFFERSON

PreambleDivided into 3

Sections

IntroductionNatural Rights

All men are created equal

Certain rights (John Locke)

List of grievancesDissolving bonds

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

July 4, 1776 Approved Signed on August 2nd

Declaration changed the nature of the American Revolution

“We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall hang together” –Ben Franklin

People started fighting for freedom not just to be treated better.

HOW DID IT HELP?

Pick a section of the Declaration. Each student will need to select their own.

Draw a picture representing what the section means to you. Draw this as if you are making a book for kids

ASSIGNMENT