2.  Background  How did it become?  Who signed the Declaration of Independence?  What was Thomas Jefferson's role?  Who was the “Committee of Five”?  Who influenced the Declaration of Independence?  Reaction to the signing of the Declaration of Independence

3. Review this online video: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/history/declaration- of-independence-videos-playlist.htm#video-27981

4.  The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.  It made the thirteen colonies independent states.  Congress then approved the wording of the document.

6.  The Thirteen Colonies and Great Britain were in a war with each other.  Congress decided to pass an agreement to make the thirteen colonies to be independent states and break away from Great Britain.

7.  Here below is a link to a website that shows all of the people who took part in signing the Declaration of Independence. Who signed the Declaration of Independence

8.  HowStuffWorks Videos "Assignment Discovery: Declaration of Independence" HowStuffWorks Videos "Assignment Discovery: Declaration of Independence"  Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence  He participated in signing the document. He later became president of the United States. Below is a video of the Declaration of Independence and Jefferson’s role.

9.  They presented the Declaration of Independence to congress. Roger Sherman Benjamin Franklin Thomas Jefferson John Adams Robert Livingston

10.  It is said that Jefferson himself influenced it.  John Locke influenced it as well.  Some of the words from the English Declaration of Rights.

11.  There were 200 copies made and public meetings were made.  People started destroying signs and statues that represented royalty. Thousands of slaves were released but faced discrimination.

12.  I think the signing of the Declaration of Independence was a good thing because without that who knows how the thirteen colonies would be. Without that document we would not have the freedom. It was an important part of history.

13. 1. Who authored the Declaration of Independence? 2. How long did it take to complete the rough draft? 3. “All men are created equal”…in 1776, what two groups in society were excluded by this statement? 4. Whom did the Second Continental Congress appoint to write the Declaration of Independence? 5. What Enlightenment thinker influenced the ideas of the Declaration of Independence? 6. What are the three major inalienable rights? 7. Who violated the rights of the colonists?

14. 8. What happened on July 2, 1776? 9. What occurred on July 4, 1776? 10. Who read the Declaration of Independence aloud to the troops? Why?