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About


The American Revolution

A Declaration of Independence

Committee of Five Presents Declaration

Leaders from the 13 American colonies wanted a Declaration of Independence. They met again in Philadelphia. Their meeting was called the Second Continental Congress. The leaders wanted to separate from Great Britain. They were tired of what Britain was doing. They decided to start their own government. They made a statement or declaration in writing. It gave their reasons. Most of the writing was done by Thomas Jefferson. A few others helped a little. They showed the work to the rest of Congress on July 4, 1776. The Congress signed the statement.

Adams and Franklin with Jefferson Revise Declaration

The Congress chose five of the members to make a committee or group to put together some ideas for a declaration of independence. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston were chosen. John Adams worked to get Thomas Jefferson to write the first draft. Then he and Benjamin Franklin made changes. When they were done they took it back to the Congress and presented it.

The Declaration of Independence says that men have rights that come from God. They also have rights of life, liberty, and happiness. These rights, it says, are with the people. When government ignores the rights of the people, the people have the right to change or fix the laws.

Government should not be changed for just any reason. People often put up with problems in government for a long time. When government is the cause of problems, the people have the right to change it. It is their duty to change it. This means that they are supposed to change it.

Statue of Liberty

The Declaration of Independence also says that the king of Great Britain was not fair with the colonists. It says the king’s control was too strict on America. It says they were not represented fairly. The signers of the Declaration were angry. They did not like what King George III was doing. He would not let them govern themselves. He made them pay taxes on tea and molasses. They also were taxed on sugar and other goods. The King tried to stop the colonists from doing many things. The King sent over officers and soldiers and made the colonists support them. The Americans were forced to have the soldiers live in their homes. British armies were sent to enforce the new rules and laws. King George III also appointed the governors. They were loyal to him.

Parliament passed laws to control the colonists. They would not let the Colonists set up their own governments. They also tried to keep more people from coming to America. Colonists were also not allowed to have their own judges. Instead they had to be tried in British courts. Parliament made up many laws. Some of the laws said they could not make or trade hats, wool, steel, tea, and silks.

Trade with other parts of the world was cut off. The king would also not protect them from other countries.

The colonists asked for changes, but they were ignored. They asked many times.

American leaders were going to separate from Britain. They wanted to let the king know. They wanted to make an official statement. They wrote the reasons why they were doing it. They promised to do this with their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. They would become their own country.

Liberty Bell

Notes

Liberty Bell

A Quaker bell was initially ordered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges. On the bell it says, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants’ thereof.”

R-SSS

Reading resources

© Reading-SocialStudiesSolutions



Text Credits:

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html;
The Extraordinary Suzy Wright: A Colonial Woman on the Frontier by Teri Kanefield;
Committee of Five- https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-appoints-committee-of-five-to-draft-the-declaration-of-independence
Give Me Liberty . . . speech- https://www.ushistory.org/documents/libertydeath.htm


Image Credits:

Declaration of Independence Committee of Five by John Trumbull- Wikimedia Commons;
Declaration of Independence 1776 - Franklin Adams and Jefferson review draft by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris through the Library of Congress- Wikimedia Commons;
Statue of Liberty Face by J4p4n- Openclipart.org;
Liberty Bell by J4p4n- Openclipart.org


Text Readability:

ATOS- 5.4
Flesch-Kinkade- 6.03
SMOG- 8.91

Notes: