The History Cat
The History Cat: Winning the American Revolution
An unconventional, myth-busting history of the American Revolution from the Declaration of Independence to victory and the Treaty of Paris, 1783.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: E Pluribus Unum
The fact that the Second Continental Congress convened was evidence that the colonists had had enough from the British Parliament. Read about the ways the colonies finally began to work together and focus on a common plan, resulting in...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: When Does the Revolution End?
An interesting discussion of the precepts of the Declaration of Independence which claimed that all men were created equal, but still allowed slavery. See what the document had to say about people's rights and "the consent of the governed."
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Identifying Parallel Structure in Sentences
After textbook and online instruction in parallel construction, students examine "Lincoln's Gettysburg Address" and the Declaration of Independence for parallelism before writing their own paragraphs.
Digital History
Digital History: Was the Revolution Justified?
A terrific look at the twenty-seven specific reasons Thomas Jefferson cited in the Declaration of Independence and the support for those reasons of why the colonists felt justified in breaking the bonds with Great Britain.
Other
Founding Fathers
Find information about the founding fathers and what they accomplished. Presents the Federalist Papers, The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, and The U.S. Constitution. Also includes images, quotes, a history of the...
Other
A Civic Framework for Community
A framework for discussing what it means to be a community, based on the principles in the Declaration of Independence and on the values Americans hold dear that form the basis of successful communities.
iCivics
I Civics: Hey, King: Get Off Our Backs!
Follow the grievances of the American colonists from oppressive British policies to the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Stamp Act primary source extension included.
Cengage Learning
Houghton Mifflin: Thomas Jefferson (1743 1826)
Houghton Mifflin provides biographical information regarding Thomas Jefferson, including his involvement in the Declaration of Independence, the presidency, and much more.
US National Archives
National Archives: To Sign or Not to Sign
Use this lesson plan in the middle of a Revolutionary War unit. Students will analyze sections of the Declaration of Independence to answer critical thinking questions. Upon completion of the unit, students will reevaluate their...
Library of Congress
Loc: Drafting the Documents
The Library of Congress provides us with a detailed description of what follows the drafting of the original Declaration of Independence. It provides us with information about what happens to the document after Thomas Jefferson's rough...
Digital History
Digital History: The Road to Revolution
A time line and explanation of the many events, including the colonists' interpretations of those events, that led to the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War.
Library of Congress
Loc: Thomas Jefferson, 1743 1826
Brief summary from the Library of Congress of Thomas Jefferson's involvement in the Declaration of Independence.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Early American and Colonial Period to 1776
Background information about the literary traditions of the pre-Colonial and Colonial period. Includes information about Native American oral traditions and Native American cultures. Follow the links to the Early American era and to...
Library of Congress
Loc: The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation
Using primary texts and prior study of Colonial America and the Revolution, students examine "what type of government would best represent the ideals of the American Revolution." Worksheets, discussions, and role-playing within this...
History of American Wars
History of American Wars: Revolutionary War Timeline
A timeline showing the events leading up to the Revolutionary War, beginning with unpopular legislation implemented under British rule. It follows with the reaction of the American colonists and continues in a cause and effect manner...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency: An Overview of the History of Public Education in Texas
Read the history of how the Texas Education Agency came to be; from its beginnings laid out in the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836, to the rigorous curriculum, graduation requirements, and implementation of a new, tougher...
BBC
Bbc: Montenegro Declares Independence
A June 2006 news report examining Montenegro's declaration of independence from Serbia.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: George Mason
George Mason's ideas helped to shape the Founding documents of the United States, but few Americans remember him today. The words he used when writing the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Constitution of 1776 inspired the...
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll is primarily remembered today for his political leadership in Maryland during the Revolutionary era. A wealthy planter, Carroll became a major figure in the patriot movement in 1773 when he penned the First Citizen...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Beauty of the Everyday
Ralph Waldo Emerson taught us about the presence of nature and something a little divine inside all of us; simultaneously helping usher in what was considered, "America's intellectual declaration of independence." [10:52]
US Department of State
U.s. Dept. Of State: u.s. Relations With Slovenia
U.S. State Department profile of the Republic of Slovenia. Includes detailed history that covers the 1990 declaration of independence from Yugoslavia.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Roger Sherman
Although not the most charismatic or eloquent Founder, Roger Sherman was highly esteemed by his contemporaries. At Sherman's death, Ezra Stiles, president of Yale College, wrote, "He was an extraordinary man-a venerable uncorrupted...
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: John Witherspoon
He was a father figure to America's Founders. A renowned theologian from Scotland, John Witherspoon educated many young men who became prominent leaders of the Founding generation. He went on to embrace the revolutionary cause. He signed...