Teach the class about the predecessor to Declaration of Independence—the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Using the foundational documents, scholars examine the two writings to consider how they are similar and how they are different. A PowerPoint that includes discussion questions guides class members through their quest.

Concepts

early american history, american history, primary source analysis, primary sources, the declaration of independence, virginia history, virginia, thomas jefferson

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Ask pupils to compare founding documents using prompts
• Extend learning by including other founding documents in the discussion and activities

Classroom Considerations

• Language of the documents may be difficult for younger students

Pros

• PowerPoint is well done, with images and discussion prompts
• Lesson builds analytical skills using primary sources

Cons

• Not all the links work, but documents are easily available

Common Core

RH.6-8.7 RH.6-8.10