Day 24

Learning Targets:

Students will be able to:

• Explain how democratic ideals are reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
• Explain how models of representative democracy are visible in major institutions, policies, events, or debates in the U.S.

*Note:  All responses should be typed in your new interactive notebook (Google doc)

Opener: DoI Review
Looking back through this year's course content (foundations, branches, civil rights/liberties, elections), as well as your past studies of American history, to what extent have we lived up to the promises made in the Declaration of Independence?  How so?

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...

• Thomas Jefferson, 1776

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Activity #1 - Expert ASAP

Take a quick look at one of the videos below regarding the Declaration and then write a detailed ASAP of the document.  This means it should be an expanded analysis that contains more than just a name and dates.  Think deeply about its author(s), the circumstances, and most of all, its purpose.

For all the smart kids....

For the smartest kid in the class....


Activity #2 - Final thoughts on the Declaration

Form an argumentative mini-essay around the question in the opener and site specific examples, scenarios, and terms in your response that support your argument.  Typically this should be around 2-3 paragraphs in length.

• The mini essay should include 
• A claim and line of reasoning
• Excerpts from the Declaration of Independence
• Examples, scenarios, N-50 terms, and even personal experiences as well as explaining "how" these examples illustrate your argument

Close: How might the Declaration influenced the founders to create Articles of Confederation with all of its weaknesses?

• No single executive
• No means to collect taxes from the states
• No federal cour system
• No means to borrow money