ERIC ED364452: "Our Lives, Our Fortunes, and Our Sacred Honor." The Declaration of Independence.

8 Pages·1993·0.24 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 364 452
SO 023 398
"Our Lives, Our Fortunes, and Our Sacred Honor." The
TITLE
Declaration of Independence.
INSTITUTION
National Archives and Records Administration,
Washington, DC. Office of Public Programs.
PUB DATE
[93]
NOTE
10p.; For related documents, see SO 023 393-400.
PUB TYPE
Guides
Classroom Use - Teaching Guides (For
Teacher) (052)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Elementary Secondary Education; Field Trips; *History
Instruction; Law Related Education; Learning
Activities; *Primary Sources; *Public Agencies;
Resource Materials; *Revolutionary War (United
States); Social Studies; *United States History
IDENTIFIERS
*Declaration of Independence; *National Archives
DC
ABSTRACT
This publication is intended for teachers bringing a
class to visit the National Archives in Washington, D.C., for a
workshop on primary documents. The National Archives serves as the
repository for all federal records of enduring value. Primary sources
are vital teaching tools because they actively engage the student's
imagination so that he or she may visualize past events and make
sense of their reality and meaning. This publication concerns a
workshop on the Declaration of Independence. In addition to the
historical information on the Declaration, background on two
documents involved in the workshop--the painting, "The Presentation
of the Declaration," by Barry Faulkner, and the Dunlap Broadside (the
first printed copy of the Declaration of Independence)--is included.
Photographs of these two documents as well as two exercises for
students also are provided. (DB)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
"Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor"
The Declaration of Independence
AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
2
Hanor"
"Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred
Nir
L. I.
c .
.
the political pamphlet entitled A Summary View of
FOR THE TEACHER
the Rights of British America. Quite interestingly,
that same year it was printed at Philadelphia in
hank you for arranging the primary document
the shop of John Dunlap, the man who would also
T
workshop "Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our
print the first copies of the Declaration of
Sacred Honor" for your class. For too
many
Independence.
students, history is just an endless string of dates
When preparing the text for the Declaration,
and events chrcaticled in a textbook. Primary
Jefferson was no doubt inspired by the enlight-
sources actively engage the student's imagination
ened doctrines of Locke and Rousseau, propo-
so that he or she may visualize past events and
nents of what were then considered dangerous
sense their reality and meaning. Before your
and revolutionary philosophies. But Jefferson
workshop, it would be advantageous to introduce
drew most heavily upon the traditional basis of
your students to primary sources with the poster-
English law, so clearly evidenced by the Declara-
size documents and the attendant exercises
we
tion's fundamental premise "that governments
have provided. The exercises may be pho-
derive their just powers from the consent of the
tocopied and should be adapted to fit
your
governed:' This was a stroke of genius. You could
objectives z nd teaching style. We hope that these
hardly call an idea high treason if it was based on
preliminary materials and our workshop will
the underlying tenet of respectable English gov-
enhance your class' understanding and apprecia-
ernment. The British then could not possibly
tion of the founding document of the United
deny the colonies claim "that whenever any form
States, the Declaration of Independence.
of government shall become destructive of these
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish
it. and to institute new government?'
The Declaration of Independence
On July 1 Congress reconvened and the follow-
ing day Lee's resolution for independence was
n June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia
O
adopted. Immediately afterward, the Congress
proposed a resolution to the Continental
commenced its consideration of Jefferson's draft.
Congress, sitting on that day in the Statehouse in
Discussions continued for two more days, but
Philadelphia, "that these United Colonies
are,
finally on July 4, late in the day, the Declaration
and of right, ought to be, free and Independent
was formally adopted by the "Representatives of
States, that they
re absolved from all allegiance
A
the United States of America in General Con-
to the British
awn, and that all
,titical
gress Assembled!'
connect ion bet ween them and the State ol Great
Jefferson had written our nation an eloquent
Bt:itain 'is, and ought to be, totally dissolved:'
birth certificate which would inspire people all
Consideration of Lee's motion was postponed
over the world. In 1789, when the French people
until June 8, but no final action was taken on that
decided to stand up to the monarchy in defense of
day. By June 10, when discussions were resumed,
their rights, they found inspiration in Jefferson's
it became evident that the Congress was not quite
words. In the 1820s, when colonists in South
ready to accept the motion, and final action was
America sought independence from Spain, they
postponed again. Meanwhile, having decided
turned to the same source. Jefferson's Declara,
that independence would eventually be decreed,
tion of Independence, like other documents that
the Congress decided to appoint a committee to
live and shape history, has had the eternal power
draft a declaration to this effect. On June 11 five
to be filled with new ideas. Even in the 20th
members of the CongressThomas Jefferson of
century, when indigenous peoples of Asia and
Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Ben-
Africa explained their struggles for independ-
jamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman
ence, they still invoked the Declaration.
of Connecticut, and Robert Livingston of New
were assigned to the task.
York
The brilliant Jefferson, then only 33 years of
age, was chosen to write the draft of the docu-
ment. The young Virginian had first come into
3
political prominence as a member of the Virginia
House of Burgesses, and in 1774 he had written
BEST COPY AVAILAIU
.
.
Declaration "fairly engrossed on parchment"
that now stands on display in the exhibit hall of
The Presentation
the National Archives.
of the Declaration
Uncovering this myth presents you wkli
an
excellent opportunity to discuss with your class
by Barry Faulkner
the consequences involved in signing a document
that could be either your birthright or your death
warrant. A number of delegates who voted for
he imag, on t he front of your p( -te,- depicts
T
adoption of the Declaration on July 4 were never
how it nutsat have-looked when jcilerson and
July 19 oruer. For instance,
the committee submitted the Declaration to the
to sign despite the
president of the Continental Congress, John
Robert Livingston, one of the committee of five
appointed to draft the Declaration, thought it
Hancock. This mural on canvas painted by Barry
premature to sign and so never did.
Faulkner hangs in the exhibit hall of the National
Archives. Unveiled in 1936, the mural is neoclassi-
cal in style and mythical in setting. Although the
What is the National Archives?
figures represented are based on actual portrait
busts, the mythical setting still compelled one of
r stablished in 1934, the National Archives helps
the painting's first viewers to remark that Mr.
preserve our nation's history by serving as the
Faulkner "must have been reading Roman history
repository for all federal records of enduring
and not American history?' With this in mind, it
value. It thus serves the federal government,
would be interesting to ask your students what it
researchers of many topics, and the American
must have really been like back in the dog days of
public. Because federal records reflect and docu-
July 1776. A KEY TO PERSONAGES has been
ment more than 200 years of American develop-
enclosed.
ment, the records in the National Archives hold-
ings are great in number, diverse in character, and
The Dunk p Broadside
rich in information.
Before your students participate in a tour or a
workshop, they should be familiar with the mis-
n nce the Declaration was adopted, the Con-
sion of the National Archives. We recommend
gress authorized its printing. John Hancock,
that you present your students with the following
authenti-
as president of the Congress, signed the
vocabulary words and questions:
cated copy, which Charles Thomson, as secretary,
attested. The Congress further authorized: "That
Please define Archives, Archivist, Document,
the committee appointed to prepare the declara-
Record, Preservation.
tion superintend & correct the press; That copies
of the declaration be sent to several Assemblies,
Why do you and your family save documents?
Conventions & Committees or Councils of Safety
Why are they important?
and to the several Commanding officers of the
The US. government keeps its records in the
Continental troops that it be proclaimed in each
National Archives.
of the United States & at the head of the Army?'
Why does the government save its records?
There is no detailed account to tell us how the
committee of five carried out this commission.
What kinds of records might the U.S. govern-
We do know, however, that one or more of the
ment want to save?
committee members took the authenticated copy
What famous documents are at the National
signed by John Hancock, quite likely a fair copy of
Archives?
the text in Jefferson's hand, to the printing shop
of John Dunlap, the Congress's official printer.
You will be called by the National Archives
The number of copies John Dunlap printed on
docent assigned to your class about a week before
the night of July 4 is unknown, but there are 24
the date of your tour or workshop. If the
known copies of these so-called "Dunlap broad-
workshop will be held in your classroom, then
sides." The reproduction on the back of your
please be prepared to relay information concern-
poster is a copy of the broadside that was folded
ing directions, parking, and school check-in
and inserted in the "rough journal" of the
procedures.
Continental Congress for July 4.
Whether it is our Behind-the-Scenes Tour or
As your students work through the exercises
one of our Primary Document Workshops, we are
concerning the broadside copy of the Declara-
confident that the experience will provide an
In order to assess our
tion, they will discover one of the most widely held
exciting new look at history.
performance, we would appreciate your cooper-
misconceptions in American history. Legend has
it that the Declaration was signed on July 4, 1776,
ation in
completing the enclosed evaluation form
but the broadside copy has a notable lack of
and returning it in the self-addressed stamped
signatures. Why is this so? On July 19, only after
envelope provided.
all 13 colonies had individually approved of the
If you have any additional questions regarding
Continental Congress's actions, did the Congress
your tour or workshop, please contact the Volun-
order the Declaration to "be fairly engrossed on
4
teer and Tour Office Staff at 202-501-5205.
parchment, with the title and stile of 'The unani-
mous dedaration of the thirteen United States of
America: and that the same, when engrossed, be
NIKuto%.
rfl Pl
or Jo Or pvfo.1( flocK 10
TH I STAP I Of Till NkTIOSAI API 11111s 101.11 OF I ICI
rmt.
signed by every member of Congress?' Finally, on
It
it was formally signed.
is this
August 2,
Exercise I:
The Faulkner Mural
and any
the architecture, the background,
carefully. Examine the people,
Study the photograph
other objects in the painting.
muraP
1. What is the title of the
portrayed)
2. How many people are
holding the object?
in the mural? Who is
3. What is the ceatral object
depicted? What is the year?
4. What activity is being
architecture)
5. What is the style of
Why?
this mural was painied?
6. When do you think
Why or why not?
depicted the event realistically?
7. Do you think the artist
it?
How would you have painted
the event really happened?
8. How do you think
5
Exercise M
Dunlap Broadside
The
another copy of this
Read the written document carefully. In your history textbook there is
document. Compare and contrast the two copies.
1. What is the date and title of the document?
of the page?
2. What are the names and offices of the people at the bottom
3. Does your textbook copy show more names? If yes, then why?
declaration and the copy
4. Why does your textbook copy indicate that it is a "unanimous"
provided does not2
he claim to be "self-evident?"
5. Who is the principal author? And what "Truths" does
of Great Britain has committed.
6. List three "repeated Injuries and Usurpations" the King
7. What powers do "FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES" have?
and sacred honor" in support of this
Essay Tbpic: Would you pledge your "life, fortune,
Declaration? Why or why not?
6
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