Copy the following passage and answer the question.

Opening Assignment 8/7/2014

Enlightenment ideas had spread to the British colonies by the 1760’s & 1770’s. One of the key Enlightenment thinkers was English philosopher John Locke. Locke believed that people have natural rights to life, liberty and property. He also argued, every society is based on a social contract- an agreement in which the people consent to choose and obey a government so long as it protects their natural rights. If the government violates that social contract by taking away or interfering with those rights, people have the right to resist and even overthrow the government.

Why might the ideals of the Enlightenment appeal to the British colonists? Write a three sentence response.

One possible answer to the Opening Assignment

Locke’s belief in a ‘natural’ right to Life, Liberty, and Property supported claims that the colonists should not have their property (wealth) reduced through taxation. This idea also gave justification for the armed resistance of the Minutemen. American colonists seeking independence found support for their views in Locke’s argument that people have a right to resist and replace any unfair government.

Video Clip

• Watch the following video without taking any notes, simply watch and listen.

• If you have any questions write them down to ask after the video.

Close Reading of the Declaration of Independence

Use the Pocket Constitution (Page 5) on your desk. Or take a textbook out from the shelf and open to page 54.

Read the Declaration of Independence once on your own. You have 10 minutes. You should be reading not talking.

Following your independent reading we will focus on the several parts of the document and their purpose.

Place a pencil and paper on your desk.

Answer the following questions about the Declaration.

Declaration of Independence Questions. Write your answers only.

1. Why have some described the Declaration of Independence as a lawyer's brief (document)?

2. John Locke wrote about the natural rights of man including the right to life, liberty, and property. Why do you think Thomas Jefferson changed ‘property’ to the ‘pursuit of happiness’ in the Declaration’s text?

3. Even though many of the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence resulted from acts of Parliament, why would the founders have addressed all of them to King George III?

4. The original draft of the Declaration had reprimands against the British people. Why do you think that those were left out of the final version?

Ticket out the door. At the bottom of the page with your answers from the previous questions complete the following assignment.

In thirty (30) words exactly, summarize what you learned today in the lesson.

Leave the Ticket out the Door on the table next to the door as you exit the classroom today.