Declaration Of Independence Notes

What are the first words of the Declaration of Independence?

"When in the course of human events..."

List three important facts about the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

1. All were committing treason and facing the death penalty. (if caught) 2. These men were from all walks of life, they were lawyers, silversmiths, landowners, etc... 3. Representatives of their home colonies/regions.

How many colonies sent representatives to sign the Declaration of Independence?

13 colonies sent representatives 56 signatures

In what year was the Declaration of Independence written?

1776; it took Jefferson 17 days to write it, july 2nd the second continental congress voted for independence July 4th declaration approved and signed.

What part of the document were the people of the American Colonies most excited about?

Declaring independence from England

From whom or what did the signers of the Declaration of Independence get their authority to declare independence?

From the people of the American colonies.

Who was the President of congress when the Declaration of Independence was written?

John Hancock of massachusetts

The Declaration of Independence is highly critical of what English King?

King George III for abuses and problems he had instated against the Americans.

Where is the original manuscript of the Declaration of Independence displayed now?

National archives Washington D.C. - Final document (first draft is in the library of congress.)

Who introduced the motion to declare independence from england in 1776?

Richard Henry Lee of Virginia made the resolution before the declaration was written.

President Lincoln used the phrase "Four score and seven years ago..." in his 1863 Gettysburg address. To what date and event was he referring?

Signing of the Declaration of Independence/ the founding of our nation, both were in 1776

What are the "certain unalienable rights" that are in the Declaration of Independence?

These are rights that we earn in being humans: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Why was the part of blaming the King for the slave trade deleted?

They eliminated it because it was untrue and they din't want slavery in their founding document.

Who was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

Name the men who made up the committee of five?

Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, John Adams, Roger Sherman.