Analyzing the Declaration of Independence: What Does it Mean?

In this activity, students will use a grid storyboard to detail excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and explain what it means to them. The significance should stem from a historically based opinion, supporting the wording of the document with factually correct ideas. By putting excerpts alongside student’s interpretation, students will be able to dig deeper into the document and it can prompt classroom discussion. Students will be able to analyze and explain what each excerpt they select from the Declaration means to them, while also analyzing the language, text, and major ideas from the document itself.

Have students select excerpts from France’s Declaration of Rights of Man, and connect what it might mean to them with how it was influenced by the American Declaration of Independence. This will again allow deeper analysis as well as a connective force between two seminal documents.