The Declaration of Independence
In the summer of 1776, a committee of five — including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson — drafted the document that changed the world.
Books
- What Is the Declaration of Independence? by Michael C. Harris and Who HQ
- The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence by Judith St. George and Will Hillenbrand
- Her Name Was Mary Katharine: The Only Woman Whose Name Is on the Declaration of Independence by Ella Schwartz
- Rescuing the Declaration of Independence: How We Almost Lost the Words That Built America by Anna Crowley Redding
Links
Movies
- 1776 (musical film) — great for tweens around 11–12. Funny and surprisingly accurate about the fierce debates among the Founders in Philadelphia.
- National Treasure (2004) — a fictional adventure, but the PG-rated hunt to protect the real Declaration sparks a lot of curiosity about the document and its symbols.
TV Shows
- Liberty’s Kids — Episode 13, “The First Fourth of July,” follows the debates and the signing.
- Schoolhouse Rock! — the classic “Fireworks” segment is a catchy summary of the Declaration and the start of the war.