Grades 3-5 - Activity 1 - Declaration of Independence Values and Principles

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper

Activity 1 guides grades 3–5 students in discovering core American democratic values and principles through close examination and analysis of the first printed and distributed copy of the Declaration of Independence, the Dunlap Broadside. The activity connects guiding questions about why the Declaration was created and what it promises, and aligns learning tasks with national standards in history, civics, government, and English language arts, using student questioning and main-idea reasoning. Estimated time is 40–45 minutes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Activity 1: Declaration of Independence Values and Principles

Guiding Questions

National Standards

Educational Activity

Historical Context

Activity 1: Declaration of Independence Values and Principles Activity 1: Declaration of Independence Values and Principles Guiding Questions ● Why was the Declaration of Independence created? ● What fundamental values and principles does the Declaration of Independence promise? National Standards National Center for History in the Schools History Standards ● Topic 3: The History of the United States ○ Standard 4: How democratic values came to be, and how they have been exemplified by people, events, and symbols ■ Standard 4A. Demonstrate understanding of how the United States government was formed and of the nation’s basic democratic principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. National Standards for Civics and Government ● NSCG.K-4.2.A.1: What are the basic values and principles of American democracy? ○ Students should be able to explain the importance of the fundamental values and principles of American democracy. ● NSCG.K-4.2.B.1: Students should be able to explain the importance of the fundamental values and principles of American democracy. Common Core State Standards ● CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. ● CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. College, Career, & Civic Life C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards ● D2.Civ.7.3-5. Apply civic virtues and democratic principles in school settings ● D2.Civ.8.3-5. Identify core civic virtues and democratic principles that guide government, society, and communities. Educating for American Democracy Roadmap ● HDQ1.2A: Why and how do people take action in order to solve problems that affect them and others? ● HSGQ4.2A: What were different reasons the colonists had for separating from Great Britain? Historical Context The Declaration of Independence: How Did it Happen? 1 The Revolution Begins In the early 1770s, more and more colonists became convinced that Parliament intended to take away their freedom. In fact, the Americans saw a pattern of increasing oppression and corruption happening all around the world. Parliament was determined to bring its unruly American subjects to heel. Britain began to prepare for war in early 1775. The first fighting broke out in April in Massachusetts. In August, the King declared the colonists “in a state of open and avowed rebellion.” For the first time, many colonists began to seriously consider cutting ties with Britain. The publication of Thomas Paine’s stirring pamphlet Common Sense in early 1776 lit a fire under this previously unthinkable idea. The movement for independence was now in full swing. Choosing Independence The colonists elected delegates to attend a Continental Congress that eventually became the governing body of the union during the Revolution. Its second meeting convened in Philadelphia in 1775. The delegates to Congress adopted strict rules of secrecy to protect the cause of American liberty and their own lives. In less thana year, most of the delegates abandoned hope of reconciliation with Britain. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution “that these united colonies are and ofright ought to be free and independent states.”They appointed a Committee of Five to write an announcement explaining the reasons for independence. Thomas Jefferson, who chaired the committee and had established himself as a bold and talented political writer, wrote the first draft. Writing the Declaration On June 11, 1776, Jefferson holed up in his Philadelphia boarding house and began to write. He borrowed freely from existing documents like the Virginia Declaration of Rights and incorporated accepted ideals ofthe Enlightenment. Jefferson later explained that “he was not striving for originality of principal or sentiment.”Instea

FAQs

Why was the Declaration of Independence created?

The activity frames the Declaration around colonists responding to increasing oppression and corruption, as Britain prepared for war and the King declared the colonists in rebellion.

What fundamental values and principles does the Declaration promise?

Students focus on basic democratic values and principles of American democracy and explain their importance for understanding government and society.

How does Jefferson’s writing connect to Enlightenment ideas?

The text describes Jefferson borrowing from existing documents and incorporating accepted ideals of the Enlightenment to express the American mind rather than pursue originality.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper