This document provides resources for activities related to Freedom Week and the Declaration of Independence as well as Constitution Day. It includes links to videos, primary sources, and interactive materials about the drafting and signing of both documents. The activities are meant to illustrate the financial and economic implications of the Declaration of Independence and how the Constitution formed the American economy. All materials are available on the Stavros Center website.
2. Agenda
1. Freedom Week activities focused on the
Declaration of Independence illustrating the
financial and economic implications.
2. Constitution Day activities that illuminate
how the Constitution formed our economy.
3. Activities include: texts, interactives, movie
clips, primary sources, etc.
4. All materials are on the Stavros Center
website http://stavros.coedu.usf.edu/
3. Freedom Week:
The Declaration of Independence
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-you-might-not-know-about-the-declaration-of-independence-kenneth-c-davis#watch
Also on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKJMWHCUoiw
4. Editing the
Declaration of
Independence
President Thomas Jefferson wrote the
Declaration of Independence and John
Adams and Benjamin Franklin edited.
What does this draft show about the
process that Jefferson used to write
the Declaration of Independence?
How is Jefferson’s process similar to
your writing process?
How do you feel about changing your
writing?
How do you feel about other people
suggesting changes to your writing?
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/presidents/
5. Why Did the Founders
Write The Declaration
of Independence?
Historians have disagreed as to
whether the colonial leaders were
motivated by selfish or ideological
reasons.
1. What are some ideological
reasons? (equality, freedom)
2. What are some selfish reasons?
(preserve power/privilege of rich)
3. Hand out the two Historian’s
Interpretations and ask students
to fill in the chart on the next
page.
http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/Lessons/Unit%203_Revolution%20and%20Early%20America/Declaration%20of%20Independence%20Lesson%20Plan.pdf
6. Why Did the Founders
Write The Declaration
of Independence?
Record what each historian believes in
the chart.
What was their claim?
What evidence did you find to support
their claim?
http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/Lessons/Unit%203_Revolution%20and%20Early%20America/Declaration%20of%20Independence%20Lesson%20Plan.pdf
7. Why Did the Founders
Write The Declaration
of Independence?
Read the first part of Declaration.
Write in your own words.
Based on the words of the first part of
the do you think the Declaration of
Independence was written for selfish
of ideological reasons?
Do you agree with Bailyn or Zinn?
Create an argument.
http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/Lessons/Unit%203_Revolution%20and%20Early%20America/Declaration%20of%20Independence%20Lesson%20Plan.pdf
8. Building an Argument
Here are my reasons!
1. _________________
_________________
_________________
2. _________________
_________________
_________________
3. _________________
_________________
_________________
You could argue that…
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
. . .but here is the
weakness . . .
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
Here is what I think . . .
Evidence to back up my reasons
Strong Finish!
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
9. Activity: Why is the Declaration of
Independence Important?
http://achieve.lausd.net/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/226/Lessons%20-%20Elementary/Grade%205%20Model%20Lesson%20One%20-%20Declaration%20of%20Independence.pdf
13. Step into the Picture Activity
http://achieve.lausd.net/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/226/Lessons%20-%20Elementary/Grade%205%20Model%20Lesson%20One%20-%20Declaration%20of%20Independence.pdf
14. Step into the Picture Activity
http://achieve.lausd.net/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/226/Lessons%20-%20Elementary/Grade%205%20Model%20Lesson%20One%20-%20Declaration%20of%20Independence.pdf
15. A Picture Says a Thousand Words
http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Winter11/painting.cfm?showSite=mobile
Interactive painting http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/Winter11/painting/
16. What is Wrong With This Picture?
http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Winter11/painting.cfm?showSite=mobile
Interactive painting http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/Winter11/painting/
17. Who Made the Constitution?
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/who-made-the-american-constitution-judy-walton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uihNc_tdGbk
18. Document Analysis from LOC
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/constitution/
19. Analysis Tools and Guides
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html
23. Document Analysis Political Cartoon
Title: The looking glass for 1787. A
house divided against itself cannot
stand. Mat. chap. 13th verse 26
Creator(s): Doolittle, Amos, 1754-1832,
engraver
Date Created/Published: [New Haven]
: 1787.
Medium: 1 print : engraving and rocker
work, with watercolor on laid paper ;
28.7 x 36.7 cm. (image)
Summary: A satire touching on some of
the major issues in Connecticut politics
on the eve of the ratification of the U.S.
Constitution. The two rival factions
shown are the "Federals," who
represented the trading interests and
were for taxes on imports, and the
"Antifederals," who represented
agrarian interests and were more
receptive to paper money issues. The
two groups were also divided on the
issue of commutation of military
pensions.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2008661778/
