1a. What is an "unalienable" right? What rights does Jefferson consider as being unalienable?
2a. What are some of the specific grievances that the colonists had against the British monarch?
3a. With what personal statement do the signers of the Declaration conclude the document?
4a. Into how many sections is the Declaration of Independence divided? What is the purpose of each section?
5a. Draw your own conclusions about how the Declaration of Independence was received by King George.
1b. According to the Declaration, why are governments "instituted among" people? What right does a people have when its government "becomes destructive" of the ends of securing the rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?"
2b. In your opinion, which is the most serious offense of the crown? Which is the least serious?
3b. What risks were the signers of the Declaration taking upon themselves?
4b. The eighteenth-century English philosopher John Locke held that people are born with "natural rights" that cannot be taken from them. The eighteenth-century French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that government is a social contract entered into by the people for their mutual protection and well-being. What statements in the Declaration reflect these writers' beliefs? How would these two writers have received the news of the Declaration of Independence? Why?
5b. On a separate sheet of paper, write a personal declaration of independence. First, state with whom you are dissolving ties. Second, provide reasons for the necessity of this dissolution. Third, declare your independence and state what you are willing to sacrifice to attain your freedom.
Alliteration. What examples of alliteration can you find in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence?
Parallelism. Review the definition for parallelism given in Literary Tools on page 163 and the radiating circle you completed as you read the selection. How does Jefferson use parallelism in his presentation of the grievances against King George? What effect does this parallelism have on the reader?
1. Assume the role of a colonial journalist. Write a news bulletin for your fellow colonists explaining what they will be able to do on their own after declaring their independence.
2. Imagine how the lives of free and independent colonists will be different from serving as subjects of the British crown. Write an account of the changes that take place in one person's life.
3. Write an editorial stating why people should fight for the right to be "equal," according to the Declaration of Independence. Make sure you explain the difference between equality and identity.
Achieving Parallelsim. Rewrite the following sentences, using parallel structure.
1. The Declaration of Independence was adopted by representatives of the Thirteen Colonies on July 4, 1776, announcing the separation of those colonies from Britain and to make them into the United States.
2. Previously, the colonies had sought redress from the crown and wanted reconciliation.
3. The actual writing of the Declaration was entrusted to Jefferson, and the revising giving to Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson.
4. The Declaration asserts the fundamental American ideal of government and indicted King George for willfully infringing on the rights of the colonies.
5. The stirring closing paragraph is the formal pronouncement of independence and borrowed from the resolution of independence adopted by Congress July 2, 1776.
Jefferson and Slavery. The original draft of the Declaration of Independence contained a strong statement opposing slavery. Research the original draft of the Declaration to learn what the passage against slavery stated. Then research the life of Thomas Jefferson. Does his life reflect the beliefs stated in the passage about slavery? Finally, write a short essay explaining what you have learned in your research.
Credo. Imagine that you work for a nonprofit organization. Write a credo, or statement of belief, expressing your organization's most strongly held opinions and values. Use formal language and parallelism to express your beliefs effectively. You may want to read the Language Arts Survey 3.38, "Achieving Parallelism."
TV Show Plots. Refer to the Bill of Rights on page 168 in your text. Paraphrase each of these amendments. Then write plot summaries of real or imaginary movies and TV shows that raise issues based on the Bill of Rights and indicate the amendments to which they refer.
