Lesson Title: The Signers and the Modern World

By: Tami Ewell, Teacher Consultant, Wasatch Range Writing Project

Burning Questions: Who were the signers of the Declaration of Independence? What contributions did they make to contemporary American society?

Objectives:

• Students will be able to summarize the major events in the life of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
• Students will understand the contribution of the signers of the Declaration of Independence to .

Context: 8-12 grades in American history, government, literature.

Materials:

• The Signers: The 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence by Dennis Brindell Fradin.
• writing materials
• display materials

Time Span: 2-3 Class periods (45 minute class periods)

Procedures:

• Discuss with students that the Declaration of Independence is a proposal justifying the legally of colonists establishing a new nation. The legal argument is based on the theory of inalienable rights.
• Discuss with students that the Declaration proposes that the new United States government will be: a republic, a democracy, will protect inalienable rights, and be composed of independent states.
  • Republic: A form of government with no vested offices -- i.e. not headed by a inherited ruler (monarchy) or by a religious leader (theocracy) or by military (dictator) or by wealthy (oligarchy). Lincoln called it government "of the people."
  • Democracy: A form of government in which those who are governed can participate -- by voting, by instructing their officers, my petitioning, assembling, demonstrating. Lincoln called it government "by the people."
  • Protection of Rights: According to John Locke, the protection of inalienable rights is the purpose of government. Lincoln called it government "for the people."
  • Independent States: Independent states have sovereign powers -- the power to make laws and the power to enforce laws -- the "power of the purse" and the "power of the sword."
  • As a class, read the introduction to The Signers and ask students the following discussion questions:
    • What was the purpose for the Declaration of Independence?
    • What did the Declaration do for the 13 colonies?
    • Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
    • What would have happened if some of the colonial governments had voted against independence?
    • What factors contributed to the vote for independence?
    • Why do we celebrate Independence Day on July 4^th?
    • What were some of the consequences the signers of the Declaration had to face?
    • After discussing the introduction, read the section on the first signer of the Declaration, John Hancock. Discuss his life and his role in independence. Have students decide the five major events of his life. Then have students choose symbols or pictures to represent those five events. Create a poster on which those images are displayed. Then as a class, write a paragraph describing John Hancock.
    • Break students into groups or individual. If in groups, have them choose a colony and create a poster for that colony or for an individual signer. If individual have them choose a signer or assign them one.
    • Have them read the brief biography of the signer and have them write down the five most important events in his life.
    • Have the students draw or find pictures to represent the major events in their signer’s life.
    • On the back of the head, have the students write a summary paragraph summarizing the significant events in the signer’s life.
    • Students present their posters orally.
    • Students will research individually or in groups contemporary news media -- such as The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Times, Newsweek -- for stories about current issues of governance: republic, democracy, inalienable rights, creation of states.
    • Students will report orally their research -- as individuals or as groups.

    Extensions:

    • Use one of the films in the collection Vote Democracy from  ITVS to discussion democracy around the world.

    Resources:

    • Fradin, Dennis Brindell. The Signers, The 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence. New York: Walker & Company, 2002.
    • Lesson plans about the Declaration of Independence from:
      • National Endowment for the Humanities.
      • The Library of Congress
      • teachinghistory.org
      • Mr. Donn.org
      • The National Constitution Center
    • Lesson plans about the theory of inalienable rights from:
      • The National Archives
      • Oakland Unified School District