Forever famous for his outsized signature on the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock was a larger than life figure in other ways as well. Part of the great Boston triumvirate that included Samuel Adams and James Otis, Hancock was a...

John Jay epitomized the selfless leader of the American Revolution. Born to a prominent New York family, John Jay gained notoriety as a lawyer in his home state. He favored a moderate approach to Britain but joined his fellow Patriots...

Learn what economic, political, and social factors led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. In this lesson, students learn what caused the colonies to declare independence from Great Britain and...

Readers can explore a reconstruction of Thomas Jefferson's original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, before it was revised by the members of the Committee of Five.

This page from the Library of Congress provides us with links to images of original documents. These includes letters from Thomas Jefferson, holographs, and the transcript of Jefferson's "original Rough Draft" of the Declaration of...

In this activity, young scholars will learn how the Declaration of Independence has been made available so that Americans can still read this important document. They will follow the steps that were involved in printing copies of the...

Two speeches given by Calvin Coolidge. The first was in 1924 on the topic of religious freedom. The second was in 1926 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Memorial to the signing of the Declaration of Independence (Washington)

Read this reprinting of The Texas Declaration of Independence from March 2, 1836. Each person's name who signed the document is hyper-linked to additional biographical information.

Outline explaining the ideals and intentions for a newly formed nation as spelled out in the of the Declaration of Independence.

This Khan Academy resource provides notes for American History. "Jefferson's Presidency and the Turn of the Nineteenth Century" is explained on this resource.

Ralph Waldo Emerson taught us about the presence of nature and something a little divine inside all of us; simultaneously helping usher in what was considered, "America's intellectual declaration of independence." [10:52]

This module examines America's efforts to form a new government after the War for Independence and to draft the Constitution. Includes an interactive activity comparing Thomas Jefferson's and Alexander Hamilton's visions for America, a...

View a webcast that explains the printing and distributing of the Declaration of Independence. The newspapers, as well as the people who published them, shed light on America in its infancy.

Wikipedia provides brief biographical information on Francis Hopkinson, American Author and one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence.

[Free Registration/Login Required] A lesson plan from the online magazine, History Now, asks: How does the celebration of Fourth of July help us understand the ideals upon which the United States was founded?

This resource from the Architect of the Capitol is a government site that focuses on art and architecture in the U.S. Capitol. Features a picture of a marble statue of Sherman.

Thomas Jefferson had the task of writing the Declaration of Independence amongst the tense climate of the Revolutionary War. This site by EyeWitness to History details information surrounding the writing of this great document.

A wonderful digital resource that provides a great depth of detail of the events resulting in the five resolutions that makes up the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

This in-depth resource presents a history of the American West from pre-Columbian times until World War I with profiles, documents, and images. It encourages visitors to link these into patterns of historical meaning for themselves....

A PBS website that contains Jefferson's views on political, religious, social, personal, and intellectual freedoms in the form of his original documents. Contains the Louisiana Purchase agreement. Tied to a larger site on a Jefferson...

Information packed game that takes you on a journey through the lead-up to the Revolutionary War, the Revolutionary War itself, and beyond to the Bill of Rights. Hyperlinks to other articles in this great site.

These journals from the Continental Congress of the United States will provide students with a greater understanding of the foundations of American government as established in the late 18th century. Includes handwritten documents by...

This site provides a collection of material regarding the work of the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. Content includes a focus on how the Revolutionary War was organized, fanning the flames of patriotism,...