The+Declaration+of+Independence

toc =The Declaration of Independence=

The colonists and Great Britain have come to a crossroads. Great Britain refuses to relinquish its ability to tax its colonists and the colonists refuse to pay any type of tax without it having proper representation in Britain's Parliament. With the passing of the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts, the stage has been set for armed conflict between the two to now occur. The colonists will make two peaceful attempts at reconciliation between them and King George III, but in the end it will be to no avail, and the "shot heard around the world" will soon be fired at the Battle of Lexington.

Following the events at Lexington and Bunker Hill, colonial leaders decided that the time had come to formally declare themselves as, "free and independent states" of Great Britain. Strongly influenced by the ideas the Enlightenment and Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson would go on to pen one of the most important documents to the history of free people in the world. Contained within the Declaration of Independence are the reasons and evidence that justify the the right of American colonists to overthrow Great Britain's rule and to replace it with one of their own. Other oppressed groups and nations all throughout the world will in the future use the ideas presented in the Declaration of Independence to secure their own rights and freedoms..

Objective

 * Identify the steps taken by colonial governments members to resolve the conflict with King George III.
 * Examine the creation of the Declaration of Independence and how its principles justified American independence from Great Britain.
 * Understand the contradictions between the Declaration of Independence and the rights and freedoms given to women, Native Americans, and slaves

Immersion
Declaration of Independence Immersion

Pages
Unit 1 - Our Colonial Heritage