8 Meanwhile, the Second Continental Congress was moving inexorably towards a clean break from England. On June 7, 1776, fiery Henry Lee of Virginia moved that the united colonies should declare their independence. Lee’s resolution was formally adopted on July 2. Congress then appointed a committee to prepare an appropriate statement. A rupture of this nature called for a formal explanation to justify such action, to rally resistance in the colonies, and to win support from foreign nations.

Thomas Jefferson was called upon as one contemporary described it to “advertise Mr. Lee’s resolution.” Jefferson rose to the occasion and gave his appeal a universal flavor by invoking the natural rights of humankind. Every attempt was made to make it clear that George III was the villain and not the British people. Jefferson was a product of the Enlightenment Period, and he borrowed extensively from Rousseau, Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and others.

Jefferson delivered a withering blast at British tyranny and was not above taking certain liberties with historical truth. Some critics viewed his declaration as “the world’s greatest editorial.” The Declaration of Independence had a universal impact and was a “shout heard round the world.” It became the source of countless revolutionary movements against arbitrary power.

VIDEO OBJECTIVES

The following objectives are designed to assist the viewer in identifying the most significant aspects of the video segment of this lesson. You should take succinct notes while viewing the video.

1. Assess the significance of the Second Continental Congress.

2. Analyze the importance of Thomas Paine and his Common Sense and his American Crisis papers.

3. Evaluate the arguments Jefferson lists in the Declaration of Independence as to why the colonists were justified in declaring independence. Which arguments do you think are most closely “grounded” in historical fact?

4. Identify the key men who were instrumental in making the Declaration of Independence a reality and analyze (on an individual basis) why some of these men were motivated to participate.

5. Analyze the short-term and long-term effects of the Declaration of Independence.

36 WEB ACTIVITIES

These activities are assigned at the discretion of your teacher. They are offered as suggestions to help you learn more about the material presented in this lesson.

Activity 1: Common Sense

a. Access and review the following web sites: Common Sense by Thomas Paine: http://www.americasrevolution.com/page1013.html A Biography of Thomas Paine: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/B/tpaine/paine.htm The American Revolution. The Struggle for Independence: http://www.americasrevolution.com/ American Revolution Documents: http://www.americasrevolution.com/page1057.html National Archives and Records Administration Document Analysis Worksheets: http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/analysis/analysis.htm b. Use the National Archives Written Document Worksheet as a guide to analyze Paine’s Common Sense.

Activity 2: The Crisis letters

a. Access and review the following web sites: A Biography of Thomas Paine: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/B/tpaine/paine.htm The American Revolution, The Struggle for Independence: http://www.americasrevolution.com/ American Revolution Documents: http://www.americasrevolution.com/page1057.html National Archives and Records Administration Document Analysis Worksheets: http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/analysis/analysis.htm Thomas Paine’s The Crisis, Number One, 1776: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/paine/painexx.htm The American Crisis. Thomas Paine: http://libertyonline.hypermall.com/Paine/Crisis/Crisis-Contents.html b. Use the National Archives Written Document Worksheet as a guide to analyze one of Paine’s Crisis letters.

37 PRACTICE TEST

After watching the video and reviewing the objectives, you should be able to complete the following Practice Test. Access the Answer Key to score your answers after you have completed the Practice Test.

Multiple Choice:

Select the single best answer. It will be indicated if more than one answer is required.

1. The colonists delayed declaring their independence until July 4, 1776, for all of the following reasons except: A. Lack of military victories. B. Support for the tradition of loyalty to the empire. C. The realization that the colonies were not united. D. Fear of British military reprisals.

2. One purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to: A. Warn other nations to stay out of the Revolution. B. Ask for an end to slavery. C. Appeal for fairer treatment by Parliament. D. Explain to the rest of the world why the colonies had revolted.

3. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense: A. Was published before any fighting took place between the colonists and the British. B. Remained unpopular for several years before being accepted by the public. C. Called for a democratic republic. D. Called on the British people to overthrow the king.

4. The Declaration of Independence did all of the following except: A. Invoke the natural rights of humankind to justify revolt. B. List the tyrannical actions of King George III. C. Argue that royal tyranny justified revolt. D. Blame the colonies’ problems on the British Parliament.

38 5. Perhaps the most important single action taken by the Second Continental Congress was to: A. Select George Washington to lead the army. B. Draft new appeals to George III. C. Adopt measures to raise money. D. Demand that the British Parliament grant immediate independence.

Essay Question:

1. Analyze the language of the Declaration of Independence with reference to women, African Americans, and the Enlightenment. Did the words of the Declaration of Independence accurately reflect Jefferson’s’ personal views with reference to the preceding?

Answers to the Practice Test:

The correct answer is indicated first, followed by the objective (s) that correlate with the test questions.

1. A: 1 2. D: 3-4-5 3. C: 2 4. D: 3-4-5 5. A: 1

39 Teacher’s Notes

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