reading. as you read, ask yourself, “how does jefferson describe the challenges the colonists...

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Reading

BIG IDEA

As you read, ask yourself, “How does Jefferson describe the challenges the colonists faced?”

Analyze text structure and features and explain their impact in the meaning of the text.

TEXT ORGANIZATION: INTRODUCTION

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.

WORKING DEFINITIONS

Word Context Working Definition

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Dissolve

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Dissolve“it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another”

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Dissolve“it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another”

To be no longer present

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Declare

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Declare“that they should declare the causes”

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Declare“that they should declare the causes”

to state officially or announce clearly

WORKING DEFINITIONS


impel

WORKING DEFINITIONS


impel“which impel

them to the separation”

WORKING DEFINITIONS


impel“which impel

them to the separation”

to force

BIG IDEA: TEXT STRUCTURE

Notice the chunks of information (paragraphs and lists).

How many chunks of information are there?

STRUCTURE

How many chunks are there? There are four (4) major parts to the Declaration.

From what you know of essay structure, what do you predict will be the general structure of the essay?

STRUCTURE

How many chunks are there? There are four (4) major parts to the Declaration.

From what you know of essay structure, what do you predict will be the general structure of the essay?

Introduction body

conclusion

ANNOTATE THE TEXT: IDENTIFY STRUCTURE

Now, on your copy of the Declaration of Independence, write introduction beside the first paragraph to label it.

ANNOTATE THE TEXT: IDENTIFY THESIS

We need to locate the thesis in the introduction. It is generally the last sentence of the first paragraph and states the purpose of the essay.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: INTRODUCTION

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.


To “declare the causes which impel them to the separation” is the thesis; it is sometimes called the statement of purpose.

PARAPHRASE THE THESIS

Now, put the thesis in your own words.Thesis (Central Idea): To “declare the causes

which impel them to the separation.” In other words,


Thesis: to “declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

In other words, the purpose of the Declaration is to explain the reason for separating from Britain and forming their own government

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PART II

Reading

WORKING DEFINITIONS


unalienable

WORKING DEFINITIONS


unalienable

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable

Rights

WORKING DEFINITIONS


unalienable

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable

Rights

Not able to betaken away

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Tyranny

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Tyranny… having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Tyranny… having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

power that is harsh, unjust, oppressive

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Sufferance

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Sufferance--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies;

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Sufferance--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies;

the state or condition of suffering

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Self-evident

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Self-evident“we hold these truths to be self-evident”

WORKING DEFINITIONS


Self-evident“we hold these truths to be self-evident”

evident of themselves, without need of evidence or proof; obvious

OTHER VOCUBULARY TO KNOW

usurpations (n.): usurp (v.) means to seize something without the right to do so; therefore, usurpation, the noun form of usurp, means the act of seizing, or taking, something without the right to do so.

prudence: careful forethought, good judgment

LITERARY ELEMENT: TEXT STRUCTURE

Review: Text structure is the way that parts of a text are organized and are related to each other. The Declaration of Independence is expository, with an introduction, body and conclusion.

Introduction: States the purpose-to explain the reason for the Colonies’ separating from Britain and forming their own government.

TEXT STRUCTURE: PROBLEM/SOLUTION

Within the body, Jefferson used problem / solution organization.

What problems does Jefferson identify? What solution does he propose?

LITERARY TERM: SYLLOGISM

Syllogism-a form of deductive reasoning that has three parts: a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.


Syllogism-a form of deductive reasoning that has three parts: a major premise a minor premise a conclusion.

A syllogism is valid if its conclusion follows logically from the premises.


A syllogism has three parts: major premise, minor premise, and conclusion.

EXAMPLE: Major premise: All humans a mortal. Minor premise: Jefferson is human. Conclusion: Jefferson is mortal.

PARTNERED READING: PART B

Now, as you read with your partner, analyze Jefferson’s argument.

What is the syllogism that Jefferson uses in his argument? What foundation does he lay first?

Major premise: Minor premise: Conclusion:

PARTNERED READING: ANNOTATE THE TEXT

Now read to identify the three part syllogism. Underline the major premise once, the minor premise twice, and conclusion three with a wavy line. Write major, minor, conclusion in the margin to identify each part.

Major premise: Minor premise: Conclusion:


CODING- ? Don’t understand ?/ W-word ?/S- section, sentence, or

phrase / I lost it here and had to go back and

reread circle key transitions (i.e. but,

therefore)


Working: 10 minutes

Major premise: underline 1x Minor premise: underline 2x Conclusion: underline with a wavy line ? Don’t understand ?/ W-word ?/S- section, sentence, or phrase / I lost it here and had to go back and reread circle key transitions (i.e. but, therefore)

FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS:

Before beginning the syllogism, Jefferson establishes assumptions—truths that are

"self-evident" –upon which the entire argument is built: All men are created equal They are endowed with the unalienable rights of

"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.“ These truths cannot be disputed or taken away, since

they are "endowed by the Creator.“Thus, he lays the foundation for his three-part argument

that follows.

NOTICE HOW JEFFERSON USES REPETITION. HOW IS REPETETION HELPFUL TO THE READER?

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.


Major premise: "...whenever any form of government becomes destructive to [these rights], it is the right of the people to alter or 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 [the people's] safety and happiness”(4).

Simply put: Minor premise: Conclusion:

JEFFERSON’S SYLLOGISM

Major premise:



Simply put:



Simply put: If a government violates these fundamental rights, then the people have the right to be changed or abolished it.


Minor premise: ”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.”

In other words, the King of England has violated the rights of the Colonies.


Conclusion: “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 [free from responsibility] 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.


Major premise: Governments that violate the fundamental rights of the people ought to be changed or abolished.

Minor premise: The King of England has violated the rights of the Colonies.

Conclusion: Therefore, the united Colonies have the right to dissolve their political ties with Britain and to create a new government.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PART III

Reading

GENERATING QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY

Formulated questions relevant and significant to the topic

Questions are text-based and refer to relevant information from text

reading. as you read, ask yourself, “how does jefferson describe the challenges the colonists...

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