Declaration of Declaration of Independence NotesIndependence Notes

What is the Declaration of What is the Declaration of Independence?Independence?

A document that A document that declared the United declared the United States an independent States an independent nation.nation.

When was the Declaration When was the Declaration of Independence Written?of Independence Written?

1776 by Thomas Jefferson. 1776 by Thomas Jefferson. It was officially signed on It was officially signed on July 4July 4thth, 1776. , 1776.

What holiday is that?What holiday is that?

What are the Main Ideas What are the Main Ideas Expressed in the Expressed in the

Declaration?Declaration? Natural RightsNatural Rights

Rights all people have that cannot Rights all people have that cannot be taken away. They include life, be taken away. They include life, liberty, the pursuit of happinessliberty, the pursuit of happiness

Self-GovernmentSelf-Government People should be able to create People should be able to create

their own government and it their own government and it should protect their natural should protect their natural rightsrights..

Where did Thomas Where did Thomas Jefferson get the ideas of Jefferson get the ideas of

Self-Government and Self-Government and Natural Rights?Natural Rights? An Enlightenment An Enlightenment

thinker named John thinker named John Locke. Locke.

Some wording came Some wording came from a pamphlet written from a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine called by Thomas Paine called “Common Sense”“Common Sense”

What are the What are the FourSections of the FourSections of the

Declaration of Declaration of Independence?Independence?Use your friend (textbook) to come up with Use your friend (textbook) to come up with

what each of these sections means or why what each of these sections means or why it was important. (Page 154). You have 10 it was important. (Page 154). You have 10 minutes. minutes.

The PreambleThe Preamble Natural RightsNatural Rights List of GrievancesList of Grievances Resolution of IndependenceResolution of Independence

What are the Four Sections What are the Four Sections of the Declaration of of the Declaration of

Independence?Independence? The PreambleThe Preamble

Explains why the Continental Congress is Explains why the Continental Congress is writing the Declaration (When in the writing the Declaration (When in the course of human events…)course of human events…)

Natural RightsNatural Rights Declares that all people have natural, Declares that all people have natural,

unalienable (can’t be surrendered) rights. unalienable (can’t be surrendered) rights. Government has to protect these rights.Government has to protect these rights.

What are the Four Sections What are the Four Sections of the Declaration of of the Declaration of

Independence?Independence? List of GrievancesList of Grievances

Colonist’s complaints against King Colonist’s complaints against King George III. Include;George III. Include; heavy taxes, no heavy taxes, no representation in government representation in government (Parliament)(Parliament)

Resolution of IndependenceResolution of Independence Actually declares the colonist “Free Actually declares the colonist “Free

and Independent States” and Independent States”

Enlightenment NotesEnlightenment Notes

The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment• A movement of intellectuals beginning

around 1650 that started in France and spread across Europe

• Tried to use the power of reason to reform society and advance knowledge.

• Promoted learning and opposed abuses in Church and gov’t.

• Philosophers included Benjamin Franklin & Isaac Newton

So Why are We Studying This?So Why are We Studying This?

Big influence on Thomas Jefferson and Big influence on Thomas Jefferson and the American Revolutionthe American Revolution

Influences can be seen in; Declaration Influences can be seen in; Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, of Independence, Bill of Rights, French Declaration of Rights and the French Declaration of Rights and the Polish-Lithuanian Constitution.Polish-Lithuanian Constitution.

All humans were All humans were selfish and selfish and wickedwicked, therefore, therefore governments must keep ordergovernments must keep order..

People should hand over their People should hand over their rights to a strong rulerrights to a strong ruler. This is . This is called a called a social contractsocial contract..

Ruler need total power (an Ruler need total power (an absolute monarchy).absolute monarchy).

This powerful government is This powerful government is what he called a leviathan what he called a leviathan (sea monster). He titled his (sea monster). He titled his book book LeviathanLeviathan (1651). (1651).

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

John LockeJohn Locke People were reasonable People were reasonable

(though selfish) and had the (though selfish) and had the natural rights to life, liberty, natural rights to life, liberty, and property.and property.

Purpose of government is to Purpose of government is to protect protect these these natural rightsnatural rights..

Government Government power comes power comes from the consent of the from the consent of the peoplepeople..

VoltaireVoltaire Wrote more than 70 books Wrote more than 70 books

of political essays, of political essays, philosophy, and drama.philosophy, and drama.

Used satire against his Used satire against his enemies, especially the enemies, especially the clergy.clergy.

Beliefs:Beliefs: ToleranceTolerance ReasonReason Freedom of religious Freedom of religious

beliefbelief Freedom of speechFreedom of speech ““I do not agree with a I do not agree with a

word you say but will word you say but will defend to the death your defend to the death your right to say it.”right to say it.”

MontesquieuMontesquieu Believed Britain was the Believed Britain was the

best-governed and most best-governed and most politically balanced politically balanced country of his own day.country of his own day.

Proposed the Proposed the ““separation of powers” separation of powers” between executive, between executive, legislative, and judicial legislative, and judicial branches of branches of governmentgovernment..

Proposed “Proposed “checks and checks and balances.balances.””

Jean-Jacques RousseauJean-Jacques Rousseau Passionately Passionately

committed to committed to individual freedomindividual freedom..

Believed man was Believed man was born free and good born free and good but easily but easily corrupted.corrupted.

Believed the Believed the only only good government good government waswas the “general the “general will” or will” or direct direct democracydemocracy..

Cesare Bonesana BeccariaCesare Bonesana Beccaria BeliefsBeliefs

Laws existed to preserve Laws existed to preserve social order, not avenge social order, not avenge crime.crime.

Accused should receive Accused should receive speedy trials.speedy trials.

Torture should never be Torture should never be used.used.

Degree of punishment should Degree of punishment should match seriousness of crime.match seriousness of crime.

Capital punishment (death Capital punishment (death penalty) should be abolished.penalty) should be abolished.

Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft Women should be Women should be

equally educatedequally educated along with men.along with men.

Women should enter Women should enter professions professions traditionally traditionally dominated by men dominated by men like like medicine and medicine and politicspolitics..

Wrote Wrote A Vindication of A Vindication of the Rights of Womanthe Rights of Woman

Mary ShelleyMary Shelley Daughter of Mary Daughter of Mary

Wollstonecraft.Wollstonecraft. Mistress and later Mistress and later

wife of poet Percy wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.Bysshe Shelley.

Author of Author of FrankensteinFrankenstein in the in the summer of 1816, summer of 1816, Later published in Later published in 1818.1818.

Frivolous But Interesting Frivolous But Interesting InformationInformation

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

The Shelley’s (Mary The Shelley’s (Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Wollstonecraft Godwin calling herself Mary calling herself Mary Shelley though she is not Shelley though she is not yet married to Percy) yet married to Percy) spend the summer with spend the summer with Lord Byron at his villa by Lord Byron at his villa by Lake Geneva in Lake Geneva in Switzerland.Switzerland.

The weather being too The weather being too cold to carry out normal cold to carry out normal summer activities, the summer activities, the group reside indoors group reside indoors staying up all night in staying up all night in intellectual discussions. intellectual discussions. They often sit around the They often sit around the fire reading German ghost fire reading German ghost stories.stories.

Illustration from the 1831 edition.

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

Lord Byron suggests Lord Byron suggests that to entertain that to entertain themselves indoors themselves indoors each of them write his each of them write his or her own supernatural or her own supernatural tale.tale.

During this time Mary During this time Mary Godwin conceived of the Godwin conceived of the idea for idea for FrankensteinFrankenstein..

Therefore, being shut in Therefore, being shut in due to the weather due to the weather caused by a volcanic caused by a volcanic winter brought about winter brought about the occasion of the the occasion of the writing of this famous writing of this famous novel.novel.

Boris Karloff as the Monster in 1931.