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Unit Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Thomas Jefferson Exhibit

For Students 6th - 8th
The Library of Congress has created an exhibit which focuses on the extraordinary legacy of Thomas Jefferson--founding father, farmer, architect, inventor, slaveholder, book collector, scholar, diplomat, and the third president of the...
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Unit Plan
Center For Civic Education

Center for Civic Education: 9/11 and Constitution: American Identity, Diversity

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A set of lessons that can be used to commemorate the anniversaries of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787. They help students to reflect on the...
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: The Declaration of Independence: From Rough Draft to Proclamation

For Teachers 9th - 10th
By analyzing the first draft of Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence through primary source documents, students can proceed to understand why a first draft was required, and why there are changes in the final version. There are...
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Primary
Yale University

Avalon Project: Declaration of Independence: July 4,1776

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the words for independence penned by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Then link to a discussion of the document by Jefferson in his own autobiography.
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Primary
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Declaration of Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
The Independence Hall Association provides an online image of the original document of the Declaration of Independence.
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Website
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: Age of Jefferson and Madison

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] After a brief description of Thomas Jefferson's and James Madison's contributions to the early ideology and government of the new United States in their authorship of the Declaration of Independence and...
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Website
Utah Education Network

Uen: Themepark: Liberty: United States Historical Documents

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Find a large collection of internet resources organized around historical documents. Links to places to go, people to see, things to do, teacher resources, and bibliographies.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Got Grievances?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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...
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Primary
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: The Declaration of Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
This video lesson from Khan Academy provides the text of the Declaration of Independence. This lesson is intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses, including the AP Government course.
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Interactive
Library of Congress

Loc: Creating the Declaration of Independence Interactive

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
As part of 'Creating the United States' interactive resource, this section deals with creating the Declaration of Independence. Connect particular phrases and ideas set down in the Declaration of Independence with texts that preceded it....
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Website
University of Groningen

American History: Biographies: Richard Henry Lee

For Students 9th - 10th
Good, introductory biography from the University of Groningen of Richard Henry Lee and the Lee family. Text provides hyperlinks to related information.
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Primary
University of Groningen

American History: Presidents: Letters of Thomas Jefferson to Edmund Pendleton

For Students 9th - 10th
In this letter, which he wrote shortly after the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson describes to Edmund Pendleton how to set up the Virginia Legislature.
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Primary
University of Groningen

American History: Documents: Draft of the Declaration

For Students 9th - 10th
Here you can read the draft that Jefferson submitted to Congress. Changes made by Adams and Jefferson are marked to indicate Jefferson's words and then the final wording that was adopted.
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Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: Drafting the Documents

For Students 9th - 10th
The Library of Congress provides us with a detailed description of what follows the drafting of the original Declaration of Independence. It provides us with information about what happens to the document after Thomas Jefferson's rough...
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Primary
Indiana University

Maurer School of Law: The Declaration of Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
Full text of the Declaration of Independence, with signers from each state and links to related information.
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Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: John Bull & Uncle Sam Exhibit : American Revolution

For Students 9th - 10th
From the Library of Congress, a look at "Four Centuries of British-American Relations." This site is about the American Revolution and provides artifacts from that time such as The Stamp Act manuscript, a proof sheet of stamps,...
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Primary
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: School Publishers: An Interview With Thomas Jefferson

For Students 3rd - 5th
"What do you think Thomas Jefferson was like as a person? What were his interests and hobbies? Where did he go to school? Imagine yourself as a reporter in 1826, about to interview Mr. Jefferson at Monticello, his home."
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Using primary texts and prior study of Colonial America and the Revolution, students examine "what type of government would best represent the ideals of the American Revolution." Worksheets, discussions, and role-playing within this...
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Website
Cengage Learning

Houghton Mifflin: Thomas Jefferson (1743 1826)

For Students 9th - 10th
Houghton Mifflin provides biographical information regarding Thomas Jefferson, including his involvement in the Declaration of Independence, the presidency, and much more.
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: Writing a Constitution [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is from a unit called 'Writing the US Constitution.' It looks at the documents that preceded the Constitution, and the major issues that were debated while the Constitution was being created.
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: Declaring Independence [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Follow the steps that Americans took before declaring their independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence set out the ideals and reasons behind this stunning move. Use the student exercises to understand the different levels...
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: Hamilton and Jefferson the Men and Their Philosophies [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton played a huge role not only in crafting important documents in U.S. history, but also by serving as secretaries in George Washington's first cabinet. Read about their diametrically opposing...
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Primary
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Colonial Williamsburg: History: Kids: Declaration of Independence

For Students K - 1st
Site in which students can zoom in on the actual Declaration of Independence document.
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Handout
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook

For Students 9th - 10th
A rich Fordham University site of primary source material that include full-text, and multimedia sites. There are additional study and research guides such as Modern History in the Movies.