Declaration of Independence

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Declaration of Independence

• Terri LeCroy Corbett
• Walhalla Elementary
• November 4, 2003

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Declaration of Independence
Rough Draft of Declaration courtesy of
American Mind Collection

• Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of
  Independence.
• It took him two weeks.
• Congress voted to accept it on July 4, 1776.

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The document that changed a nation.

• This image of the Declaration
• is from an engraving.
• The printer was William J. Stone.
• The engraving was done in 1823.
• Most used version of
• Declaration.
• Photo courtesy of the National Archives.

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Five Parts of the Declaration

• Preamble
• Statement of Human Rights
• Charges against King and Parliament
• Statement of Separation
• Signatures

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What is a Preamble?

• A preamble is an introductory statement.
• Introductory part of a constitution or statute.
• States the reasons for and intent of the law.

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Preamble

• When in the Course of human events, it becomes
  necessary for one people to dissolve the
  political bands which have connected them with
  another

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Statement of Human Rights

• 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.

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Statement of Human Rights

• Government is formed to protect rights.
• Britain no longer protecting colonists rights.
• People have a right to change the government.

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Charges Against the King and Parliament

• List of 27 complaints
• Some of the complaints included
• Cutting off trade
• Imposing taxes without consent
• Depriving colonists of Trial by Jury
• Keeping Standing Armies without consent of
  legislatures

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King George III reads the Declaration of
Independence.
King George reads the colonist complaints listed
on the Declaration of Independence document.
(Martin is playing the role of King George.)
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Statement of Separation

• Colonies are united.
• All connections with Great Britain are dissolved.
• States have power and authority to
• levy war
• conclude peace and contract alliances
• establish commerce

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Signatures

• 56 men signed the document.
• Oldest signer was Benjamin Franklin.(70)
• The youngest was Edward Rutledge. (26)
• Most famous was John Hancock.

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U.S. Capitol paintings. Signing of the
Declaration of Independence, painting by John
Trumbull in U.S. Capitol, detail with Thomas
Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin II.
American Memory Collection Signing of the
Declaration
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Declaration Resources

• Visit American Memory Collection
• http//memory.loc.gov/
• Visit Library of Congress Top Treasures.
• http//www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/
• Visit Signers Fact Sheet courtesy of National
  Archives.
• http//www.archives.gov/national_archives_experien
  ce/declaration_signers_gallery.html

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The document that changed a nation.

• This is a photo of the original Declaration.
• It is exhibited in the Rotunda in Washington, DC.
  
• It is extremely faded.
• Photo is courtesy of National Archives.
• http//www.archives.gov/national_archives_experien
  ce/declaration.html

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Credits

• This power point presentation was created using
  the American Memory Collection (AAM) in the
  Library of Congress.
• Pictures of Declaration are courtesy of the
  National Archives and Records Administration.
  (NARA)
• Slide 12 Photo of signing (AAM)
• Slide 3 Photo of original Document. (NARA)
• Slide 14 Photo of engraved Document. (NARA)