The document discusses the Declaration of Independence and its relationship to Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and social contract. It provides context for the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence against King George III, including taxation without representation, imposition of troops, and deprivation of trial by jury. It also summarizes the preamble and conclusion of the Declaration which reference the need to dissolve political ties with the King due to tyranny and assert the right to self-governance.

1. The Declaration of
Independence
10th Grade American History

2. Learning Targets
● I can explain the grievances listed in the
Declaration of Independence.
● I can compare the D of I to its
relationship with the Enlightenment
ideas of natural rights and the social
contract.

3. What do Taylor Swift and the Declaration of
Independence Have in Common?

4. Writing a “Break-up” Letter
● You will be writing a “break-up” letter
– Include your “grievances.” (4)
– Explain how you have “grown apart.”
– Explain why it is time to move on.
– Describe the other options that you wish to
explore with your life.
● Declaration "Too Late to Apologize"

5. Events Leading to the Declaration
● Loss of individual freedoms through:
– Taxation (ex. Stamp Act and Tea Act)
– Navigation/Trade
– Local governments
– Imposing of troops
● Sons of Liberty
– “No taxation without representation”
– Boston Tea Party
● Boston Massacre
● Battle of Lexington and Concord
– Olive Branch Petition

6. Preamble
● Declaration of Independence based on
Enlightenment ideas of self government, natural
rights and a social contract.
● “When in the course of human events, it
becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected them
with another, and to assume among the powers
of the earth, the separate and equal station to
which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God
entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of
mankind requires that they should declare the
causes which impel them to the separation.”

7. Grievances
Summation of Grievances:
King is a tyrant
King deprived the colonists of the right of trial by jury
King imposed taxes on colonists without their consent
King dissolved legislatures
King kept standing armies in the colonies in times of
peace

8. Conclusion
● “In every stage of these Oppressions We have
Petitioned for Redress in the most humble
terms: Our repeated Petitions have been
answered only by repeated injury. A Prince
whose character is thus marked by every act
which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the
ruler of a free people.”
● Reinforces Enlightenment concepts.