Transcript The Declaration of Independence Structure

Reading
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
BIG IDEA
As you read, ask yourself, “How does
Jefferson describe the challenges the
colonists faced?”
 Analyze text structure and features and
explain their impact in the meaning of the
text.

TEXT ORGANIZATION: INTRODUCTION

When in the Course of human events, it
becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected them
with another, and to assume among the
powers of the earth, the separate and equal
station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to
the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to
the separation.
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Dissolve
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Dissolve
Context
“it becomes
necessary for
one people to
dissolve the
political bands
which have
connected them
with another”
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Dissolve
Context
Working
Definition
“it becomes
To be no longer
necessary for
present
one people to
dissolve the
political bands
which have
connected them
with another”
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Declare
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Declare
Context
“that they
should declare
the causes”
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Declare
Context
“that they
should declare
the causes”
Working
Definition
to state officially
or announce
clearly
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
impel
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
impel
Context
“which impel
them to the
separation”
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
impel
Context
“which impel
them to the
separation”
Working
Definition
to force
BIG IDEA: TEXT STRUCTURE
Notice the chunks of information (paragraphs
and lists).
 How many chunks of information are there?

STRUCTURE
How many chunks are there? There are four
(4) major parts to the Declaration.
 From what you know of essay structure, what
do you predict will be the general structure of
the essay?

STRUCTURE
How many chunks are there? There are four
(4) major parts to the Declaration.
 From what you know of essay structure, what
do you predict will be the general structure of
the essay?

STRUCTURE
How many chunks are there? There are four
(4) major parts to the Declaration.
 From what you know of essay structure, what
do you predict will be the general structure of
the essay?
Introduction
body
conclusion

ANNOTATE THE TEXT: IDENTIFY STRUCTURE

Now, on your copy of the Declaration of
Independence, write introduction beside the
first paragraph to label it.
ANNOTATE THE TEXT: IDENTIFY THESIS

We need to locate the thesis in the
introduction. It is generally the last
sentence of the first paragraph and states
the purpose of the essay.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE:
INTRODUCTION
When in the Course of human events, it
becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected them
with another, and to assume among the
powers of the earth, the separate and equal
station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to
the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel
them to the separation.
ANNOTATE THE TEXT: IDENTIFY THESIS

To “declare the causes which impel them to
the separation” is the thesis; it is
sometimes called the statement of purpose.
PARAPHRASE THE THESIS
Now, put the thesis in your own words.
Thesis (Central Idea): To “declare the causes
which impel them to the separation.”
 In other words,

ANNOTATE THE TEXT: IDENTIFY THESIS
Thesis: to “declare the causes which impel
them to the separation.”
 In other words, the purpose of the
Declaration is to explain the reason for
separating from Britain and forming their
own government

Reading
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
PART II
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
unalienable
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
unalienable
Context
that they are
endowed by
their Creator
with certain
unalienable
Rights
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
unalienable
Context
that they are
endowed by
their Creator
with certain
unalienable
Rights
Working
Definition
Not able to be
taken away
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Tyranny
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Tyranny
Context
… having in
direct object the
establishment of
an absolute
Tyranny over
these States.
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Tyranny
Context
Working
Definition
… having in
power that is
direct object the harsh, unjust,
establishment of oppressive
an absolute
Tyranny over
these States.
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Sufferance
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Sufferance
Context
--Such has been
the patient
sufferance of
these Colonies;
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Sufferance
Context
--Such has been
the patient
sufferance of
these Colonies;
Working
Definition
the state or
condition of
suffering
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Self-evident
Context
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Context
Self-evident
“we hold these
truths to be selfevident”
Working
Definition
WORKING DEFINITIONS
Word
Self-evident
Context
Working
Definition
evident of
“we hold these
truths to be self- themselves,
without need of
evident”
evidence or proof;
obvious
OTHER VOCUBULARY TO KNOW
usurpations (n.): usurp (v.) means to seize
something without the right to do so;
therefore, usurpation, the noun form of usurp,
means the act of seizing, or taking,
something without the right to do so.
 prudence: careful forethought, good judgment

LITERARY ELEMENT: TEXT STRUCTURE
Review: Text structure is the way that parts
of a text are organized and are related to
each other. The Declaration of Independence
is expository, with an introduction, body and
conclusion.
 Introduction: States the purpose-to explain
the reason for the Colonies’ separating
from Britain and forming their own
government.

TEXT STRUCTURE: PROBLEM/SOLUTION
Within the body, Jefferson used problem /
solution organization.
 What problems does Jefferson identify?
 What solution does he propose?

LITERARY TERM: SYLLOGISM

Syllogism-a form of deductive reasoning
that has three parts: a major premise, a
minor premise, and a conclusion.
LITERARY TERM: SYLLOGISM

Syllogism-a form of deductive reasoning
that has three parts:
a
major premise
 a minor premise
 a conclusion.

A syllogism is valid if its conclusion follows
logically from the premises.
LITERARY TERM: SYLLOGISM
A syllogism has three parts: major premise,
minor premise, and conclusion.
EXAMPLE:
 Major premise: All humans a mortal.
 Minor premise: Jefferson is human.
 Conclusion: Jefferson is mortal.

PARTNERED READING: PART B
Now, as you read with your partner, analyze
Jefferson’s argument.
What is the syllogism that Jefferson uses in his
argument? What foundation does he lay first?
 Major premise:
 Minor premise:
 Conclusion:

PARTNERED READING: ANNOTATE THE TEXT
Now read to identify the three part syllogism.
Underline the major premise once, the minor
premise twice, and conclusion three with a
wavy line. Write major, minor, conclusion in
the margin to identify each part.
 Major premise:
 Minor premise:
 Conclusion:

PARTNERED READING: ANNOTATE THE TEXT
CODING ? Don’t understand
?/ W-word ?/S- section, sentence, or phrase
 / I lost it here and had to go back and
reread

circle key transitions (i.e. but,
therefore)
PARTNERED READING: ANNOTATE THE TEXT
Working: 10 minutes
Major premise: underline 1x
 Minor premise: underline 2x
 Conclusion: underline with a wavy line
 ? Don’t understand
?/ W-word ?/S- section, sentence, or phrase
 / I lost it here and had to go back and reread

circle key transitions (i.e. but, therefore)

FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS:
Before beginning the syllogism,
Jefferson establishes assumptions—truths that
are "self-evident" –upon which the entire
argument is built:
 All men are created equal
 They are endowed with the unalienable rights of
"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.“
 These truths cannot be disputed or taken away,
since they are "endowed by the Creator.“
Thus, he lays the foundation for his three-part
argument that follows.
NOTICE HOW JEFFERSON USES REPETITION.
HOW IS REPETETION HELPFUL TO THE READER?
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.
 --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted
among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed,
 --That whenever any Form of Government becomes
destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter
or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its
foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in
such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
Safety and Happiness.
LITERARY TERM: SYLLOGISM
Major premise: "...whenever any form of
government becomes destructive to [these rights],
it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it,
and to institute new government, laying its
foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most
likely to effect [the people's] safety and
happiness”(4).
 Simply put:
 Minor premise:
 Conclusion:

JEFFERSON’S SYLLOGISM

Major premise:
JEFFERSON’S SYLLOGISM
Major premise: "...whenever any form of
government becomes destructive to [these
rights], it is the right of the people to alter or
abolish it, and to institute new government,
laying its foundation on such principles and
organizing its powers in such form, as to them
shall seem most likely to effect [the people's]
safety and happiness”(4).
 Simply put:

JEFFERSON’S SYLLOGISM
Major premise: "...whenever any form of
government becomes destructive to [these rights],
it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it,
and to institute new government, laying its
foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most
likely to effect [the people's] safety and
happiness”(4).
 Simply put: If a government violates these
fundamental rights, then the people have the
right to be changed or abolished it.

JEFFERSON’S SYLLOGISM
Minor premise: ”The history of the present
King of Great Britain is a history of repeated
injuries and usurpations, all having in direct
object the establishment of an absolute
Tyranny over these States.”
 In other words, the King of England has
violated the rights of the Colonies.

JEFFERSON’S SYLLOGISM

Conclusion: “We, therefore, the Representatives of the
united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled,
appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude
of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the
good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare,
That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought
to be Free and Independent States; that they are
Absolved [free from responsibility] from all Allegiance to the
British Crown, and that all political connection
between them and the State of Great Britain, is
and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and
Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude
Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all
other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right
do.
JEFFERSON’S SYLLOGISM
Major premise: Governments that violate the
fundamental rights of the people ought to be
changed or abolished.
 Minor premise: The King of England has
violated the rights of the Colonies.
 Conclusion: Therefore, the united Colonies
have the right to dissolve their political ties
with Britain and to create a new
government.

Reading
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
PART III
GENERATING QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Formulated questions relevant and significant
to the topic
 Questions are text-based and refer to
relevant information from text
