American Revolution/Inventing a new Nation
The Declaration of Independence
Actually, the Declaration of Independence isn't something that happened before the war but one year after it started.
Research about the Declaration of Independence. Take notes. Use the following sources to gain information. You can choose if you want to work on your listening skills by choosing the video or if you want to work on your reading skills. Of course, you can use other sources as well.
- the text in the popup-window below (○)
- Video: "The Declaration of Independence" (●)
The thirteen colonies in the America's had been at war with Britain for around a year when the Second Continental Congress decided it was time for the colonies to officially declare their independence. This meant that they were breaking away from British rule. They would no longer be a part of the British Empire and would fight for their freedom.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
On June 11, 1776 the Continental Congress appointed five leaders, called the Committee of Five, to write a document explaining why they were declaring their independence. The five members were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, and Thomas Jefferson. The members decided that Thomas Jefferson should write the first draft. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft over the next few weeks and, after some changes made by the rest of the committee, they presented it to Congress on June 28, 1776.
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The Declaration of Independence did more than just say the colonies wanted their freedom. It explained why they wanted their freedom. It listed all the bad things that the king had done to the colonies and that the colonies had rights which they felt they should fight for. Perhaps one of the most famous statements in the history of the United States is in the Declaration of Independence:
"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."
For the full text, click here.
July 4, 1776
On July 4, 1776 the Congress officially adopted the final version of the Declaration of Independence. This day is still celebrated in the United States as Independence Day. […]
adopted and abridged from "Declaration of Independence"
Quizzes
Road to Independence
Manifest Destiny
From Sea to Sea
Complete the text.
At the beginning of the 19th century people thought it would take (take) 400 years to settle the western half of the North American (America) continent.
Britain, Spain, Russia and France (French) still tried (try) to control parts of that area. But not more 80 years later the whole region belonged to (belong) the US. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson, the third (three) US president, bought (buy) Louisiana, a large area of land from France for $ 15 million. In 1845, war with Mexico brought (bring) Texas, New Mexico and California to the US. By 1860, when the Civil War began(begin), the west was completely (complete) under American rule.
In 1857, it took (take) 25 days for a piece(piece / peace) of mail to travel from St Louis, Missouri, to California. The journey for passengers was even longer (long). In 1860, the Pony Express was able to (be able) transport a letter in ten days. The Pony Express was put (put) out of business just 18 months(month) after it had begun(begin), because(because / although) the first transcontinental telegraph was built (build) in 1861.
What the west really (real) needed was a railroad. Before long the tracks of the Union Pacific railroad from the west (west / east) met those from the east (west / east) in 1869. The trip from the east to California and Oregon took|lasted (???) six months by wagon. When the railroad was finished, the same trip could be made in six days.
