AP Gov - Dec of Ind - Government- Declaration of Independence PDF

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Government- Declaration of Independence...

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Foundational Document Analysis Student Guide

Assignment Summary For this assignment, you will analyze a US foundational document, the Declaration of Independence located in the Appendix of your textbook beginning on page A1.

Background Information Understanding key foundational documents can lead to a deeper understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors. Additionally, these foundational documents may be the focus of AP® exam questions. You are encouraged to take notes or make annotations as you read. You will use evidence from the document to answer each question in your assignment.

Assignment After reading the foundational document, answer the following questions.

Essential Understandings 1. What were Thomas Jefferson’s primary purposes in writing the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson’s primary purposes in writing the Declaration of Independence is to get reluctant colonists to realize that loyalty to Britian was a lost cause, to explain the Congress’ position on the purpose of human government, to list the colonists’ grievances against King George III to show the legitimacy of their actions to others, and to encourage foreign nations to help them. 2. According to the document, what basic rights can be claimed by all individuals? Some basic rights of this document that can be claimed by all individuals are that all men are created equal, we all were born with unalienable rights, and among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Key Ideas and Arguments 1. According to the second paragraph, where do governments gain their power? Governments gain their power from the consent of the goverened.

2. The Declaration of Independence contains a long list of complaints against King George III. Summarize several of these complaints. Grievances against King George III were that he kept standing armies against the colonies, he imposed taxes without consent, he dissolved representative houses repeatedly, cut off the colonies trade with other countries, and he didn’t allow fair trial.

3. Were the colonists justified in declaring independence from Great Britain? Provide specific evidence to support your perspective, and explain your answer in at least three to four sentences. I feel that the colonists were justified in declaring independence from Great Britian, even though

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Student Guide: Unit 1 (continued)

many said they were unjustified. The Declaration of Independence clearly states the colonist’s problems against the King. They justified their protests and ultimate rebellion because of the taught that their actions were fair and just. England was treating the colonists as if they weren’t British citizens.

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