Historian’s interpretation #1: Modified Excerpts from The
Ideological Origins of the American Revolution by Bernard Bailyn
(1967)
The Declaration of Independence represents the colonists’ deepest
fears and beliefs. The colonists believed they saw a clear pattern in
the events that followed 1763. They believed they saw an evil and
deliberate conspiracy to crush liberty in America. They saw evidence
of this conspiracy in the Stamp Act and in the Coercive Acts.
They also believed that America was destined to play a special role in
history. They believed that America would become “the foundation of
a great and mighty empire, the largest the world ever saw to be
founded on such principles of liberty and freedom, both civil and
religious.” The colonists believed that England was trying to enslave
them, and that they should use “all the power which God has given
them” to protect themselves.
Historian’s interpretation #2: Modified Excerpts from A
People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn (1980)
It seemed clear to the educated, upper-class colonists that something
needed to be done to persuade the lower class to join the
revolutionary cause, to direct their anger against England. The
solution was to find language inspiring to all classes, specific enough
in its listing of grievances to fill people with anger against the British,
vague enough to avoid class conflict, and stirring enough to build
patriotic feelings.
Everything the Declaration of Independence was about – popular
control over governments, the right of rebellion and revolution, fury at
political tyranny, economic burdens, and military attacks – was well
suited to unite large numbers of colonists and persuade even those
who had grievances against one another to turn against England.
Some Americans were clearly omitted from those united by the
Declaration of Independence: Indians, black slaves, and women.
Declaration of Independence
Why did the Founding Fathers write
the Declaration of Independence?
Record what each historian believes in the chart below.
Historian #1
Claim: Evidence:
The founding fathers saw conspiracy an
The Founding Fathers wrote the d effort to control America.
Declaration of Independence
because . . .
Because the colonists in America wante
d to expand without restrictions.
Historian #2:
Claim: Evidence:
Because they needed to persuade the lower-class to j The declaration of independence descri
oin the revolution.
bed things such as the "right" to rebel
Declaration of Independence
American Declaration of Independence
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.
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, laying its foundation on such principles and
organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely
to effect their safety and happiness.
Vocabulary
dissolve: disappear unalienable: cannot be taken
bands: connections away
station: place to secure: to get
impel: force instituted: established
self-evident: obvious deriving: getting
endowed: given consent: agreement
In the space below, re-write the Declaration of Independence in your
own words:
Throughout time, it becomes necessary for one people to disappear the political b
ands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers
of the earth, the separate and equal place to which the laws of nature and of natur
e's god entitle them.
Declaration of Independence
American Declaration of Independence
(1) 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. (2) That to
secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the governed. (3) That whenever any form
of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the
people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government.
Vocabulary
self-evident: obvious just: fair
endowed: given consent: agreement
unalienable: cannot be taken away ends: goals
to secure: to protect alter: change
instituted: set up abolish: to get rid of
deriving: getting
Put the paragraph in your own words:
(1) We believe in these obvious truths: that all men are created equal, that they
______________________________________________________________________
are given by the creator with rights that cannot be taken
__________________________________________________________.
(2) In order to protect these rights, governments are set up. These governments get
their powers from
the agreement of the citizens
(3)
Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence Grievances Name____________
Directions: Below are most of the grievances from the Declaration of
Independence.
• If the grievance seems to be something that would affect only the rich and
powerful, write O (for ONLY rich and powerful)
• If the grievance seems to be something that would affect all the colonists,
write A (for ALL the colonists)
• If you don’t know who would be affected, write ‘?’
(1 & 2) He has refused to pass, and forbidden his governors to pass, important
and necessary laws. _______
A
(5 & 6) He has broken up certain legislatures that opposed him, and refused to
let others be elected. _______
A
(8 & 9) He has refused to establish courts of justice, and has made judges
dependent on him for their jobs and salaries. _______
A
(10) He has sent swarms of British officers to harass our people and eat our
food. A
_______
(11 & 12) He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies, without the
consent of our legislatures. _______
A
(16) For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world; _______
A
(17) For imposing taxes on us without our consent; _______
A
(18) For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury; A
_______
(23 & 24) He is waging war against us; He has plundered our seas, ravaged our
coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. A
_______
(27) He has started fights among us and has also forced us to live near merciless
Indian savages. A
_______
1. Do these grievances seem to be things that upset rich people or everyone?
everyone
2. Do you think these complaints would give people reason to go to war and
possibly die? Why or why not?
Yes, because these things are damaging their life in general.
Declaration of Independence
