Declaration of Independence, by John Trumbull, 1819
{Source: US Capitol via Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain}
It’s a great day for a Monday, and once again we have quite a few inspiring Mix-ins to share with you today! The focus this week will be on the infamous Declaration of Independence. As always, please preview the following links to make sure they are suitable for your own kids, and have fun enriching your family's learning through these resources!
VIDEOS:
Schoolhouse Rock – Fireworks – Let’s start off this week with Schoolhouse Rock again!:
Reading of the Declaration of Independence – A host of celebrities perform a live reading of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA:
George Washington reads The Declaration of Independence – This is a clip from the History Channel’s Sons of Liberty miniseries:
The Passing of the Declaration of Independence – Here’s a clip of a scene from the John Adams miniseries (this miniseries is free to stream on Amazon right now!):
What You Might Not Know About the Declaration of Independence – This is a TedEd video that dives into some of the lesser known facts about the process of writing the Declaration of Independence and questions one very controversial omission:
Signers of the Declaration – From Colonial Williamsburg, take a look at the men who signed the Declaration:
Tavern Debate: Significance of the Fourth – Also from Colonial Williamsburg, this 3-minute debate features actors representing Gowan Pamphlet and James Madison discussing the significance of the Fourth of July, and slavery:
America the Story of Us: Declaration of Independence – This is a clip from a History Channel series, about the first document to declare the equality of men:
Blows Must Decide – This is one episode in the PBS “Liberty! The American Revolution” series, about the Declaration of Independence and this period of the Revolution. It is 1 hour long, so it’s a little more of a time commitment to watch:
Kid President’s Sleepover Under The Declaration of Independence! – For all those who love Kid President (he’s quite endearing), check out this cute video:
Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration – Yes, another silly satirical song the kids will enjoy:
And keep watching Liberty’s Kids!
WEBSITES:
The Declaration of Independence – Here’s the text of the whole document.
The Declaration of Independence – From the National Archives, here’s more info about the document.
Printable Copy of the Declaration
Sign the Declaration of Independence – Choose your quill and add your name to the Declaration alongside our forefathers!
Independence! – A “newspaper article” about the adopting of the Declaration by the Continental Congress.
Declaration Clarification game – Put the puzzle pieces of the Declaration back together again
Fourth of July Crossword Puzzle
Declaration of Independence Crossword Puzzle – A more difficult one.
Online Declaration of Independence Word Search
Find the Signers of the Declaration of Independence – A printable, for patient kids who really love word searches.
Join or Die cartoon: This political cartoon (attributed to Benjamin Franklin) originally appeared during the French and Indian War, but was recycled to encourage colonial unity against the British. Originally published in The Pennsylvania Gazette, on May 9, 1754. {Source: This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3g05315}
