Write a study guide for students who are reading the Declaration of Independence for the first time. Assume they are reading this document in English class and already know the basic
historical context. The study guide will have two parts: an introduction that explains how
language is used in the text, and 6 to 12 annotations that help your reader to understand and
begin to analyze the document as they read.

Why did they write it?

They wanted to explain why they were fighting to be their own country, independent of England. This is what they had to say (but in easier words).

What the Declaration of Independence says

Sometimes one group of people decide to split off from another group, and to become an independent country, as the laws of Nature and of God say that they can. But when this happens, if they want other people to respect them, they should explain why they are splitting off.

We think these things are obviously true:

  That all men are created equal

  That all men have some rights given to them by God

  That among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

So whenever any government is getting in the way of these rights, people have the right to change it or get rid of it, and to make a new government, in whatever way seems most likely to make them safe and happy.

We tried to get along with England

People should not change their government without a good reason, so people usually suffer as long as they can under the government they have, rather than change it. But when there have been a lot of problems for a long time, it is their right and their duty to throw off that government, and to set up a better government.

A list of bad things the King did to us

We here in America have suffered for a very long time, and now we should change our government. The king of England has done many bad things to us – here is a list:

  The King won’t let us pass laws we need for everybody’s good.

  Even when we do pass laws, he won’t sign them so they can go into effect.

  He tried to force men to give up their right to make laws.

  He calls men together to make laws in the most inconvenient times and places, so that they won’t be able to go discuss the new laws.

  The King won’t let new settlers come to America, and he won’t let the settlers take over new land from the Native Americans.

  The King won’t let us choose our own judges, and instead he chooses them all himself, so they’re all on his side.

  He sends lots of new government officials that we don’t want, and he makes us pay for them.

  The King sends lots of English soldiers here when there isn’t even a war, and makes us let them live in our own houses.

  He tells us these soldiers can do whatever they want and don’t have to obey the law.

  The King won’t let us buy and sell things from wherever we want. We can only buy things from England.

  The King makes us pay all kinds of taxes without asking us about it.

  He won’t let us have a jury for our trials, only a judge.

  He sends people accused of crimes far away to England for their trials.

  The King tries to get the African-American slaves to revolt against us and tries to get the “Indian Savages” to attack us.

Yeah, we tried asking nicely

When we ask him to stop, he just keeps on doing more bad things. We have tried to talk to the other people who live in England. We asked them to stop these crimes against us, but they have acted as though they were deaf. So we have to separate from England, and they will be our enemies during the war, though we hope they’ll be our friends when there is peace.

So this is what we’re going to do

So we think that God will see that we are doing the right thing when we declare that the United States are now completely independent of the King of England. We have no more political connection to England at all. And as independent states, we say that each state has the right to make war, to make peace, to make alliances with other countries, trade with other countries, and do everything else that countries do. And we promise that we will fight for our independence with the help of God – we promise by our lives, our property, and our sacred honor.

white boy wearing blue jacket with gold buttons, brown breeches, tall black boots, and a black tri-corner hat.

Explanation: