Content: Declaring Independence
1775-1776
As a revolutionary ideology grew and conflicts with Britain continued, the Second Continental Congress declared American Independence
  • Battle of Bunker Hill
  • Evacuation of Boston
  • Declaration of Independence
  • Influence of Enlightenment Thinkers
/ U.S. I Learning Standards:
USI.2 Explain the historical and intellectual influences on the American Revolution and the formation and framework of the American government. (H, C)
  • the legacy of ancient Greece and Rome
  • the political theories of such European philosophers as Locke and Montesquieu
Seminal Primary Documents to Consider: Massachusetts Body of Liberties (1641) and John Locke’s Treatises of Civil Government (1690)
USI.3 Explain the influence and ideas of the Declaration of Independence and the political philosophy of Thomas Jefferson. (H, C)
Seminal Primary Documents to Read: the Declaration of Independence (1776)
Seminal Primary Documents to Consider: the Suffolk Resolves (1774) and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786)
USI.4 Analyze how Americans resisted British policies before 1775 and analyze the reasons for the American victory and the British defeat during the Revolutionary war. (H)
USI.5 Explain the role of Massachusetts in the revolution, including important events that took place in Massachusetts and important leaders from Massachusetts. (H)
  • the Battles of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill
  • Sam Adams, John Adams, and John Hancock
Seminal Primary Documents to Consider: the Massachusetts Constitution (1780)
Pacing Guide: 9/24-10/3 (7 days)
Key Questions:
How did the colonists’ reactions to the Declaration of Independence differ?
What revolutionary ideology lay behind the Declaration of Independence? / Skills and Outcomes: When students have finished studying this topic, they will know and be able to:
PreviewDeclaring Independence using the PIC method
  • Identify Patrick Henry and the impact of his famous speech on the Virginia Convention in The Inside Story. How did this speech inspire Virginians to take action? (p.114)
  • Take notes on the action taken by the 2nd Continental Congress. (Determining Main Idea Chart GO - Transparency 13)
  • Analyze a Primary Source:George Washington Is Selected to Command the Colonial Army
  • Recognizing Bias in Primary Sources: Analyze “History’s Voices” on p. 115 and apply skill on p.103
  • Contrasting: How did the actions of the 2nd Continental Congress reflect the delegates’ differences of opinion?
  • Examine the picture on p. 116, Attack on Bunker’s Hill, with the Burning of Charlestown.
  • Summarize why the British had to evacuate Boston (p.116)
  • Main Idea and Details: Reasons for creation of the Declaration of Independence. (p.117-118) (Main Idea and Details Chart GO - Transparency 12)
  • Analyze primary source document, Common Sense, by Thomas Paine (Skills Handbook, pp. H12, H28-H29)
  • Rank the order of importance of the key documents that influenced the Declaration of Independence (p.118). Select the document that the students believe influenced the writing of the Declaration the most. Reasons should be developed to defend their answers.
  • Cause and Effect GO: Identify how the philosophy of the Enlightenment influenced the Declaration of Independence. (Cause and Effect Diagram GO - Transparency 3)
  • Why was Thomas Jefferson chosen to write the draft of the Declaration of Independence?
  • Compare/Contrast Loyalists and Patriots. p. 119-120. Use the counterpoints between Benjamin Franklin and William Franklin on p.119. (Comparison-Contrast Chart GO or Venn Diagram GO: Transparency 8 or 9)
  • Interpret Abigail Adams letters after reading the biography on p. 120.
  • Vocabulary building: Divide the vocabulary from the Declaration of Independence into words you know, words you’ve heard, and words you don’t know at all. Use the words that you don’t know in a sentence, and/or draw a visual. pp.121-123
  • Explore the Declaration of Independence, answering the questions that accompany it. pp.121-124
  • How is the Declaration’s idea about why governments are formed still important to our country today?
  • Interpreting voices of history: Groups will review the grievances against the king listed in the Declaration of Independence. Each group will rewrite some of the grievances in simple language. p.122
  • Rank: Group members will rank the grievances on their lists. Which British actions do they believe created the most conflict or angered the colonists the most? Support rankings with brief reasons. p.122
  • Analyze Why do you think the authors told the British that they were held as all others, “Enemies in War, in Peace Friends”? p.123
  • Impact Today: How does the Declaration of Independence influence your life today?
  • View History’s Impact Video – Impact of the Declaration of Independence Today
/ Formative/Summative Assessments: Students will complete the following products/other assessments to demonstrate the skills and understandings they have acquired.
You are a colonist writing to your family in Great Britain about the events of July 1776. Write a persuasive letter explaining why you have chosen to be a patriot or a loyalist and why you support or oppose independence. Support your point of view using reasons and details from your text and notes. (Rubric 43, Alternative Assessment HB)
  • View History’s Impact Video – Impact of the Declaration of Independence Today. After viewing, refer back to your journal entry. Revise your response incorporating what you learned from the video.
  • Analyze the Malden Declaration of Independence using the department APPARTS chart.
Quizzes and Topic Test
Required