Each of the 13 colonies sent representatives to the Second Continental Congress to talk about issues that concerned them. These leaders wanted to help make life better for the colonists. Important discussions took place about the way that England was treating the colonies. Not everyone agreed on what to do. But after a lot of thinking and debating, the Congress asked a group of five men, called the Committee of Five, to write a statement that told England’s King George III that the colonies wanted to be their own country, not a British colony. The committee decided that Thomas Jefferson should use their ideas and write the declaration.
Look at the Declaration of Independence. Click on the image to enlarge it. Work with your group to answer these questions on the handout given to you.

1. What is a declaration?

2. The Continental Congress didn’t call this document “The Declaration of Independence.” What did they call it?

3. What is the date at the top of this document?

4. What does the word “unanimous” mean?

5. Whose large signature is at the bottom of the Declaration? What was his role in the Continental Congress? How do you know?

6. At the bottom of the Declaration, each colony is listed with its delegates to the Continental Congress. Why do you think some colonies sent more delegates than others did?

Now click on “view text.” There are four parts of the Declaration. Read the introduction of the Declaration in your group.
7. What do you think is the main idea of this paragraph? What do the verbs “dissolve” and “entitle” mean?

8. The second paragraph is about human rights. Read the first sentence of the second paragraph.
With your group, write this sentence in your own words. Use context clues to help you understand words you may not know.

9. The last sentence in that paragraph seems to be saying to the world, “Listen up and we’ll tell you why we want to be free of British rule.”

10.There is quite a long list of complaints. Write at least five things from the Declaration that made the colonist want independence from England.

11.The last paragraph states what the Continental Congress wanted. What words appear more than once in all capital letters to show that they were declaring freedom?

12.The closing sentence states, “…we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honour.” What do you think this meant to these men? What were they promising to each other? What were some problems or dangers they might face because of this promise?