The Declaration of

Independence

Oklahoma students join together in November to celebrate our freedoms!

What ARE our Freedoms?

We can find them in a very important paper…

Written many years ago in 1776…

The Declaration of Independence

When American was young,

we were ruled by England’s king…

But in July of 1776,

leaders from the

Americans colonies met

to declare we wanted

our independenc

e!

They sent a written message to the king,

asking for freedoms and the right to rule

themselves!

Several American leaders helped write the Declaration of Independence, like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin…

But the final job was done by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

Americans wanted to

explain why ruling themselves

was important.

On July 4th, the Declaration of Independence was read

aloud to everyone!

This is why we celebrate the 4th of July and why

we study the Declaration of Independence during

Celebrate Freedom Week!

So, what does the Declaration of Independence really say?

Here are some of its most important words and

ideas…

Americans believed that they should be treated

equally…

“We hold these truths to be

self-evident, that all men

are created equal …”

Americans believe we all have rights to be free…

What are these “rights”

?The right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

These basic rights are unalienable-

this means that everyone is born with them and

no one can take them away.

“…that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable

Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the

pursuit of Happiness.”

And what is one of the most important jobs

for our leaders ?

“…That to secure these rights,

Governments are instituted among

Men,”

Americans also believe that governments should protect our freedoms (our rights.)

Americans believe that we are the ones

who say what government should do for us…

We have the POWER!

“…deriving their just powers

from the consent of the

governed.”

So what happened after the colonies declared their independence?

The colonists had to fight a war to win their independence!

Since then, other countries have read our Declaration of Independence

to make their own governments protect

their freedoms!

Let’s recite the Declaration of Independence

together!

“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.”

Celebrate Freedom Week

Sources:Documents of Freedom,

by Judith Yero and the

National Archives and Records Administration