Teacher's Notes

Theme:
British reaction to the demands of American colonists led to our Declaration of Independence.

Sub-theme:
The philosophical argument of natural rights was used to justify the colonies' independence.

Concepts:

• natural rights
• life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
• benign governments
• abuses and usurpations
• institutions

Performance objectives -- this lesson focuses on developing skills at:

• Comparing opposing points of view on natural rights
• Analyzing the essential concepts of the Declaration of Independence
• Writing an essay reacting to the Declaration from the British viewpoint

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