Transcript American Literature B- Unit Five Short Story “The Story of

Document
“Declaration of Independence”
By: Thomas Jefferson
Thematic Link
 The ideals of freedom and equality espoused
by writers in the time of revolution found
bold expression in the “Declaration of
Independence”.
 Through the years, this document has been
a beacon for those who claim the right to be
free.
Reading and Analyzing
 Guide for Reading
 Part 1-The Preamble
 Colonists
felt they must explain
their reasons to the world
because:
 Respect for world opinion
required it
Reading and Analyzing
 Guide for Reading
 Part 2-A Declaration of Rights
 The purpose of government in Lines 12-14 is to:
 Ensure basic rights, such as, life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness
 It is right to overthrow a government in Lines 1517:
 When it destroys basic rights
 It is not right to change a government in lines 2022:
 For trivial reasons
Reading and Analyzing
 Literary Analysis: Parallelism
 Part 3: A List of Complaints (Lines 37 and on)


“He has refused…He has forbidden…He has
called…He has dissolved…He has endeavored…He has
obstructed…He has made…He has erected…He has
kept…He has combined…” (pg. 272-274).
Effect this technique creates for the reader
 Emphasizes that the king’s crimes are of equal worth
as evidence of his tyranny.
Reading and Analyzing
 Guide for Reading
 Part 3: A List of Complaints: Royal colonial
governors created hardships for the colonial
assemblies: (Lines 39-59)
 Governors refused to pass needed laws
 Called meetings at inconvenient places
 Dissolved assemblies
 Did not provide for new elections
Reading and Analyzing
 Guide for Reading
 Part 3: A List of Complaints
 Objections the colonists had about British
soldiers: (Lines 81-84)


Colonial legislatures had not consented to their
presence
Dangerous because they were protected from
prosecution for wrongdoing
 Additional hardships put on colonial lawmakers:
(Lines 85-101)


Laws abolished
Legislatures suspended
Reading and Analyzing
 Active Reading: Paraphrasing
 Part 3: A List of Complaints
 Lines 106-110
 Now, King George III is sending large
armies of hired troops, mercenaries,
German soldiers to finish his evil
work.
 Having acted more cruelly than most
barbarians, he is not worthy to lead
a civilized nation.
Reading and Analyzing
 Literary Analysis: Repetition
 Jefferson’s repeated references to tyranny or
tyrants (lines 35, 47, 109, 125)

He repeats the word so often because:
 A tyrant is cruel and oppressive.
 Jefferson is making the case that the
colonists are justified in rebelling.
 He wants to make it clear that the king’s
cruel and oppressive acts have caused the
rebellion.
Reading and Analyzing
 Literary Analysis: Cause and Effect
 Lines 126 to 138; Events/Causes
that led to the colonists’ separation
from the British people


Events/Causes
 The colonists warned the British that their
legislature extended too much jurisdiction.
 The colonists appealed to the native justice of the
British.
 The colonists asked for the British people’s
support.
Effect
 The British people ignored the colonists’ appeals.
 The colonists decided to hold the British people as
enemies in war.
Questions-Pg. 279
 Comprehension Check
 What main reason for writing the Declaration is stated in
the Preamble?
 The colonists want to explain to the world their reasons
for separating from England.
 According to the Declaration, what three rights do all
people have?
 Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
 What are three complaints the colonists had against the
king?
 He dissolved representative houses
 Refused to pass necessary laws
 Kept standing armies in the colonies
Questions
Pg. 279
 2. Which reason for breaking away from British rule
strikes you as most important, and why?
 Having soldiers controlling the colonists was the most
important reason to want independence from Britain
 The king’s unwillingness to pass important laws or even
listen to the colonist’s concerns. “Taxation without
representation” and the cutting off colonists’ trade
Questions
Pg. 279
 3. Jefferson makes it clear that America has
complaints against George III, not against the British
people. In what ways, does the Declaration of
Independence emphasize this difference, and why do
you think this distinction was made?
 The complaints all refer to the king’s offenses. Jefferson
may have directed his criticisms against the king in the
British people to the colonist’s cause.
Questions
Pg. 279
 4. The Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason was a
period in which logic, reason, and rational thought
prevailed. What phrases and sentences in the
Declaration suggest that this document was a product
of the Age of Reason?
 The thorough and carefully thought-out language of the
Preamble
 The way Jefferson logically describes the situation before
talking about separating from the British government
 Emphasis upon natural rights
Questions
Pg. 279
 6. How do you think the statement “all men are
created equal” was interpreted at the time it was
written? How do Americans interpret the words
today?
 When written, the statement merely stated the common
assumption that free citizens were politically equal. It
was not intended to mean that all had the same ability
or ought to have equal wealth.
 It obviously did not apply to women, who could not vote,
or to African Americans, many of whom were slaves.
 Today, the sentence suggests the right to equality or
opportunity.
Writing Activity 2 (p. 280)
 In a group of 3-4, write a declaration of independence
for students, following Jefferson’s style. Include a brief
declaration of student rights, a list of at least 10
complaints and a concluding statement of
independence.
 You will be sharing your declaration with the class.