From: www.loc.gov One of the biggest challenges in teaching with primary source documents is vocabulary and complex or dated verbiage. My 7th graders encountered these challenges in reading the text of the Declaration of Independence. The DOI is a brilliantly written argument and one that clearly ranks high in importance in the formation of our nation. It was essential that my students could parse the language and get beyond the pitfalls, to the meat of the document: the logical and evidenced argument for separation from Great Britain.
To that end, after summarizing each of the chunked excerpts from the DOI, we created a class "condensed" version of the DOI that put the text into 7th grade friendly language.
Below you will find, like a No Fear Shakespeare book, the original text coupled with my class's interpretation of that excerpt in their own language. Enjoy!
To that end, after summarizing each of the chunked excerpts from the DOI, we created a class "condensed" version of the DOI that put the text into 7th grade friendly language.
Below you will find, like a No Fear Shakespeare book, the original text coupled with my class's interpretation of that excerpt in their own language. Enjoy!
| Original Declaration of Independence | 7th Grade Junior Historians' Interpretation |
| When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. | Sometimes it is necessary for countries and colonies to break up and when they do, it is their responsibility to explain to the world their reasoning. |
| We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. | We believe that all people are created equal with natural rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We create government to protect those rights and if it fails to do so, we have the right to abolish the government and create a new one. |
| Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security | Overthrowing the government should not be done for light causes but too often mankind becomes lazy and suffers under government because they are used to it. But if a government becomes tyrannical over a long period of time, it is not only the duty but the responsibility of the people to overthrow it and set up a new government that will protect their security. |
| Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. | The colonies have suffered and been lazy under the rule of King George III, but his tyrannical rule must be overthrown and we have the evidence to prove it. |
...etc... | Evidence given to prove argument for independence: The King and Parliament have been jerks in taxing the colonies without their consent (Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts), have made war with the colonies (Boston Massacre, Battle of Lexington and Concord), have had standing armies in time of peace (Proclamation of 1763, Quartering Act) and cut off trade and justice for the colonies (Intolerable Acts). |
| Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends. | We colonists have pleaded with the citizens of Britain to help us attain full and equal rights that they enjoy in England but have turned a deaf ear to our injustices and kindred connection. We now want independence and if they must make war on us for that, then we are to be enemies. But if they aim to let us leave peacefully, then we can still remain friends. |
| We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. | Acting on behalf of the people of these united British colonies, the Second Continental Congress hereby declares the independence of the colonies from all British control and the establishment of a new nation, the United States of America. The United States of America shall and ought to have sole power of their territories to declare war, make peace, make allies, establish trade with other nations, and all other rights afforded to independent nations of the world. We pledge to this declaration of independence our lives, fortunes, and honor. |
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