1. Enough Already! The Story of the Declaration of Independence
4th Grade Social Studies Lab

2. Why take risks?
Essential Question

3. The Colonies in 1775 How many colonies are there in 1775?
Source: The National Archives, Records of Boundary and Claims Commissions and Arbitrations, Record Group british-colonies-in-north-america-with-the-roads-distances-limits-and-extent- of-the-settlements

4. From British to American
Different Perspectives

5. The Stamp Act Denounced
What do you see?
What do you think you know?
What are you curious about?
Why did colonists dislike the Stamp Act?
Why did King George III approve it?
Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C USA

6. The Destruction of Tea at Boston Harbor by N. Currier, 1846
What people do you see?
What objects do you see?
What is happening in this image?
How do you know?
Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C USA;

7. The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street, Boston, 3/05/1770
What is happening in this picture?
Who created it?
Is it a true depiction of the events?
Why was it created?
Who was the audience?
Source: The National Archives, Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Record Group bloody-massacre-perpetrated-in-king-street-boston

8. Do you think they collaborated or did one person’s ideas always win?
Drafting the Declaration of Independence. The Committee - Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Livingston and Sherman
Who are these men?
Where are they from?
Why were they chosen?
Do you think they collaborated or did one person’s ideas always win?
Source: National Archives, declaration-of-independence-the-committee-franklin-jefferson-adams- livingston-and-sherman-copy-of-engraving-after-alonzo-chappel

9. The Original Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence
How is this like the writing process you follow?
Does it seem like there were many changes in this document or just a few?
Can you tell who wrote what? How do you know?
Thomas Jefferson wrote: “We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable.” Benjamin Franklin crossed Jefferson’s words out and wrote “We hold these truths to be self- evident”? Can you use that information to determine who wrote what?
Page 1 of the original draft of the Declaration of Independence. All five pages can be accessed at this link:
 To zoom in on the document…

10. Declaration of Independence, 7/4/1776
Paragraph #1
Why was this written?
Natural/Unalienable rights
The king is a tyrant.
We are free and independent states.
Source: National Archives, Dunlap Broadside [Declaration of Independence]; 7/4/1776; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, Record Group 360.
Transcript available at:

11. What do you think is happening? Do the people look happy or troubled?
Reading of the Declaration of Independence from the East Balcony of the Old State House, Boston, Massachusetts July 18, 1776
What do you see?
What do you think is happening?
Do the people look happy or troubled?
Can you guess what the people in the picture do for a living?
Source: National Archives, Reading of the Declaration of Independence from the East balcony of the Old State House, Boston, Massachusetts July 18, Copy of artwork.,; ; Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch, Record Group 148.

12. The Declaration of Independence. 1776
The Declaration of Independence Copy of painting by John Trumbull,
What people do you see?
What objects do you see?
What do you think you know?
What are you still curious about?
Source: The Declaration of Independence Copy of painting by John Trumbull, ; ; Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch, Record Group copy-of-painting-by-john-trumbull