Resource Collection > The Road to the Declaration
Developing the Declaration Collection
This full week of resources contains everything you need for students to understand where many of the ideas in the Declaration of Independence came from. Each lesson builds essential skills—like analyzing evidence and forming arguments—by connecting big historical ideas to the democratic principles that shape our world.
Guiding Question
In what ways did Enlightenment ideas fundamentally shape the democratic principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence?
Day 1
This lesson sets a foundation for your students as they examine the American colonists’ grievances.
The teacher’s guide provides step-by-step instructions for you to guide your students through anticipating, reading, and completing activities that check for understanding.
Skill
- Identify cause and effect
- Analyze primary documents
- Promote reading comprehension
- Develop chronological reasoning
Hey, King: Get Off Our Backs!
Day 2
By reviewing why the colonists wanted independence, and then introducing the Enlightenment as the source of the Declaration’s core concepts, you build a bridge between historical events and the philosophical ideas behind them.
Through a guided reading and follow-up activities, students will learn to define and identify key principles like natural rights and the social contract.
Skill
- Develop critical thinking skills
- Analyze the meaning of the social contract theory
The Enlightenment Mini-lesson
Introduce students to the ideas of the Enlightenment, including Natural Rights, the Social Contract, Consent of the Governed, and Republicanism, identifying how these ideas influenced America’s founders.
John Locke Mini-lesson
Optional Homework Assignment
Bridge the gap between parchment and pavement by prompting students to brainstorm and identify modern-day examples of the social contract in their own communities.
This lesson overlaps with the Enlightenment Mini-lesson, but it is a perfect homework assignment to reinforce key topics.
Skill
- Identify the historical significance of Locke’s ideas
- Practice reading comprehension
Day 3
Moves students from learning the theory to applying it directly to the primary source.
This Document-Based Questioning tool includes three primary sources for students to use. Students can use the self-guided mode to analyze the Declaration of Independence. We recommend that students stop after completing the analysis and share their summaries with the class.
Skill
- Analyze primary source
- Develop critical thinking
- Practice reading comprehension
America's Founding Preambles
Guide students through a primary source analysis of the Declaration of Independence, asking why governments are created, where they get their powers, and when they should be changed.
Day 4
In this culminating lesson, students transition from learning to application, actively using their new knowledge through gameplay. The post-game quiz or discussion questions can be used to reinforce key ideas.
Skills
- Practice critical thinking
- Identify cause and effect
- Develop chronological reasoning
- Identify historical significance of events, places, and ideas
Investigation Declaration
Track Enlightenment ideas to and through the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Enter the Civic Star Challenge
Join us in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and showcase your students’ civic learning with the Civic Star Challenge.
Teaching with any of these resources qualifies you to enter your classroom and school to win prizes!