Name ___________________________

Drafting the Declaration of Independence

Directions: For this WebQuest, you will use the Library of Congress’ online exhibit on Thomas Jefferson here:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffdec.html Use the information under each subheading to answer the following.

1. Who appointed Jefferson to the committee for drafting a declaration of independence?

2. What was one change to the Declaration that Jefferson was critical of?

a. Adding a Bill of Rights

b. Removing a section condemning the slave trade

c. All members of the committee signing the bottom

d. Adding a bibliography to the back page of it.

Influential Precedents Match each document to how it influenced Jefferson.

______ 1. A fountain from which flowed the principles

embodied in the Declaration of Independence.

______ 2. A list of governmental abuses by King George III.

______ 3. Call for a halt to trade with Great Britain, including

an end to the importation of slaves.

______ 4. His smooth, eloquent language.

The Fragment & Rough Draft

5. Both the fragment and rough draft are examples of:

a. Primary sources

b. Secondary sources

c. Tertiary sources

d. Research papers.

6. Click on the image of Original Rough Draft – what is the full title?

7. Who helped Thomas Jefferson make changes to the Declaration?

8. When did Congress formally adopt the final text of the Declaration?

9. Finish this sketch of the Graff House and indicate where Thomas Jefferson lived.

A. Instructions to delegates of the 1st

Continental Congress

B. Fairfax County Resolves

C. Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights

D. Jefferson's Draft of a Constitution for

Virginia

You can also reach

this website by

using this QR code!

10. What is significant about Edward Savage’s painting “Submitting the Declaration of Independence to the

Continental Congress”?

11. Label each person in the painting:

12. The 5 men above were members of the:

a. Committee of Correspondence

b. Virginia Delegation

c. Declaration Committee

d. Voting Committee

___________________

________________________

_____________________ _______________________

_

________________________

____________________

The Final Document

13. Who was president of the Continental Congress?

a. George Washington

b. Thomas Jefferson

c. Benjamin Franklin

d. John Hancock

14. Click on the image of the Final Document – complete the missing words from the 1st line:

When, in the course of ______________ ______________, it becomes necessary for one people….

15. Complete this drawing of Independence Hall in Philadelphia

16. After hearing the Declaration read on July 9, what did American troops do in New York City?

17. In another window, do a Google image search for “Saddam Hussein statue” – find a similar image and

describe what is happening.

The Aftermath

18. How did Richard Henry Lee describe the changes Congress made?

a. They improved the Declaration.

b. They mangled it.

c. They were fair to all.

d. It made the new document pitiful.

19. How is Jefferson shown in the “Goddess of Liberty” portrait?

20. On what did Jefferson compose the Declaration and who did he give it to?

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Name ____Answer Key_____

Drafting the Declaration of Independence

Directions: For this WebQuest, you will use the Library of Congress’ online exhibit on Thomas Jefferson here:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffdec.html Use the information under each subheading to answer the following.

1. Who appointed Jefferson to the committee for drafting a declaration of independence?

The Continental Congress appointed Jefferson to a 5-person committee for drafting a declaration of independence.

That committee then assigned him the task of producing a draft document for its consideration.

2. What was one change to the Declaration that Jefferson was critical of?

a. Adding a Bill of Rights

b. Removing a section condemning the slave trade

c. All members of the committee signing the bottom

d. Adding a bibliography to the back page of it.

Influential Precedents Match each document to how it influenced Jefferson.

______ 5. A fountain from which flowed the principles

embodied in the Declaration of Independence.

______ 6. A list of governmental abuses by King George III.

______ 7. Call for a halt to trade with Great Britain, including

an end to the importation of slaves.

______ 8. His smooth, eloquent language.

The Fragment & Rough Draft

21. Both the fragment and rough draft are examples of:

a. Primary sources

b. Secondary sources

c. Tertiary sources

d. Research papers.

22. Click on the image of Original Rough Draft – what is the full title?

A Declaration by the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in General Congress Assembled

23. Who helped Thomas Jefferson make changes to the Declaration?

John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and other members of the committee appointed to draft the document made

changes to the Declaration.

24. When did Congress formally adopt the final text of the Declaration?

The final text was formally adopted by Congress on the morning of July 4, 1776.

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E. Instructions to delegates of the 1st

Continental Congress

F. Fairfax County Resolves

G. Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights

H. Jefferson's Draft of a Constitution for

Virginia

G

H

F

E

25. Finish this sketch of the Graff House and indicate where Thomas Jefferson lived.

26. What is significant about Edward Savage’s painting “Submitting the Declaration of Independence to the

Continental Congress”?

It is significant because it is considered one of the most realistic renditions of this historical event.

27. Label each person in the painting:

28. The 5 men above were members of the:

a. Committee of Correspondence

b. Virginia Delegation

c. Declaration Committee

d. Voting Committee

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_ Thomas Jefferson__

__Benjamin Franklin____

_ Robert R. Livingston _ ___ Roger Sherman______

____ John Adams ___

__George Washington___

The Final Document

29. Who was president of the Continental Congress?

a. George Washington

b. Thomas Jefferson

c. Benjamin Franklin

d. John Hancock

30. Click on the image of the Final Document – complete the missing words from the 1st line:

When, in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people….

31. Complete this drawing of Independence Hall in Philadelphia

32. After hearing the Declaration read on July 9, what did American troops do in New York City?

After hearing the Declaration of Independence read on July 9, the American army destroyed the statue

of King George III at the foot of Broadway on the Bowling Green in New York City.

33. In another window, do a Google image search for “Saddam Hussein statue” – find a similar image and

describe what is happening.

Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad, Iraq was torn down during the Iraq War in 2003.

The Aftermath

34. How did Richard Henry Lee describe the changes Congress made?

a. They improved the Declaration.

b. They mangled it.

c. They were fair to all.

d. It made the new document pitiful.

35. How is Jefferson shown in the “Goddess of Liberty” portrait?

Jefferson is shown as “Liberty’s Genius” in the painting.

36. On what did Jefferson compose the Declaration and who did he give it to?

The Declaration of Independence was composed on a mahogany lap desk, designed by Jefferson and he

gave it to Joseph Coolidge, Jr. when he married Jefferson's granddaughter.

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