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In 2018 the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation executed a study of the American public that found that only 19% of Americans under 45 could pass a basic multiple-choice U.S. citizenship test like those taken by immigrants to become citizens. The test, made up of basic questions about how our government works and U.S. history, requires only 60% of the questions be answered correctly to pass. 

About this course… 
Students will learn about The Declaration of Independence, the most eloquent prose in our history. This great American document served as the pronouncement by the Thirteen Colonies declaring their separation from Great Britain, and the reasons the Founders risked life, wealth, and property, by initiating such a drastic step.

Included in this cross-curricular course will be a review of some of the major events that led the American Colonies to this decision, the distinguished committee of five selected to prepare a draft of the document for the whole, the surprising convictions of the primary author, the first draft presented by Thomas Jefferson, and the revisions made to the original draft. We will discuss points of contention between the representatives, including one will that willhang over the country for nearly a century. This course will also include a look into the influences of the Enlightenment on the Declaration, and the importance of the document as a call to arms to all colonists. We will also explore Jefferson's use of writing techniques to make the Declaration a more powerful, poetic, and, impactful document.

Some of what students will learn:

1. What paragraph was deleted from the original draft of the Declaration by the Congress that enraged Jefferson?
2. Which Founding Father accused Jefferson of plagiarism and what was his response?
3. What did Jefferson really mean by "the pursuit of happiness" in the famous phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?"
4. What literary devices were used by Jefferson to make the Declaration a more powerful and persuasive document?
5. What did Jefferson's references to God symbolize?

Topics by class:

Class 1: Introduction and review of events that led to the call for a rebellion against the Crown, and  uploading Declaration vocabulary.

Class 2: Background on the primary author of the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, and the experiences, people (Locke, Paine, Epicurus, Wythe), and events that influenced his writing of the Declaration.

Class 3: The goals of the document, disagreements between the delegates, and a brief review of Thomas Jefferson's first draft and some major revisions made by the Congress. Changes made by the Second Continental Congress and the deletion of the 28th grievance that enraged Jefferson.

Class 4 and 5: An analysis of the four sections of the Declaration including the introduction, the preamble, the 27 grievances against King George III and the British Parliament (body), and the closing. Also discussed will be Jefferson's style and approach to his writing of the document. A summary of what has been learned and the impact this document still has today.

Classes are designed to be interactive with that will include lecture and group discussion among the students. Each class will include a reading of the document and discussion among the students in response to a prompt to encourage exchange and debate on key issues. Students will share ideas, opinions, and draw their own conclusions (approximately 15 minutes). Videos may also be used. The class is most suitable for homeschoolers.

Founding Document Series...

This course is the first in a series of three courses (see below) that will take deep dive into the founding documents of the United States. Taken in combination, they will give the student a full understanding of each of the founding documents and how they are interconnected. Note, while the series is designed for the courses to work together, each can be taken separately, and each is created as a stand-alone course. 

Courses in the Founding Documents series:

Course I: The Declaration of Independence, 1776;
	
Course II: Articles of Confederation, 1777 and Northwest Ordinance, 1787;

Course III: Constitution of the United States and Bill of Rights, 1787, Section One, and;
            
From a parent of a student who took this course...
"Brin Lewis is a class act.  We've taken hundreds of classes on Outschool and his professionalism and academic focus is absolutely wonderful.  He is well-prepared for the class, reliable, and very kind.  His communication is great.  The class in itself is a treasure.  Students will actually read the U.S. Declaration of Independence in it's entirely Outloud together over the few weeks and dissect it line by line, word by word.  We get the chills thinking that this important document is being taught in a context -- with no political agenda -- that looks to history coupled with the current significance of the being an impactful document that is relevant still today."
     --Parent of a recent student on Outschool