Created Equal Work

Here are the questions for the Created Equal assignment:

Created Equal Readings and Activities

Part 1: The Declaration: What’s In It For Me? (Pages 2-3)

1. List three important dates from the timeline.
2. What are some of the ways the Declaration of Independence affects you? (list at least 2 ways)
3. Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
4. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
5. How long did it take to write the Declaration of Independence?
6. What are the Dunlap Broadsides?
7. How many copies of the Declaration of Independence exist?
8. What would have happened to the men who signed the Declaration if the colonists lost the war?
9. When was a copy of the Declaration sent to King George III?
10. Why is it important for you to understand the Declaration?

Part 2: Created Equal (Page 4-5)

11. Why is there no mention of slaves in the Declaration?
12. Why do you think women were left out of the document?
13. Why do you think Native Americans were left out of the document?
14. What did Abraham Lincoln use the Declaration to do?
15. Who is Elizabeth Cady Stanton?
16. What do Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, and Cesar Chavez have in common?
17. What are some ways we should be equal?
18. Describe the US population in 1776.
19. How does the young population in the US today compare to the adult population?
20. List two important historical figures who have referenced the Declaration.
21. List two other nations that have Declarations of Independence.
22. Why do you think Thomas Jefferson had several drafts of the Declaration?

Part 3: A Revolutionary Idea (Page 6-7)

23. What is the difference between alienable and unalienable rights?
24. When should you receive your rights?
25. Do you think all people in the US have rights today? Why or why not?
26. What do you think it means to have the right to life?
27. What do you think it means to have the right to liberty?
28. What do you think it means to have the right to the pursuit of happiness?
29. Where did Jefferson get the idea to include the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
30. Why do you think people use other sources in their writing?
31. Do you think kids should be punished for making political statements with their clothing? In other words, does the school have a right to suspend you for wearing a shirt that is against war? Why or why not?

32. Should freedom of speech ever be restricted OR should Americans always have this right? Explain your thinking.
33. List two things that you would not be willing to tolerate and would fight to change.

Part 4: And Justice For All (Pages 8-9)

34. How many grievances do the colonists list against the King?
35. How do you think the Declaration changed the world?
36. What was the purpose of the Constitution?
37. What was the first televised trial court?
38. Do you think people get a fair trial on tv? Explain your thinking.
39. Why do you think teens don’t always have the same rights as adults?
40. How do youth courts work?
41. Do you think youth courts are a good idea?

Part 5: The Ongoing Struggle for Freedom (Pages 10-11)

42. Would you be willing to risk your life for freedom? Why or why not?
43. Why do you think hate crimes still occur?
44. Why do you think if the Declaration was written in 1776 that in 2010 we haven’t achieved all of the goals listed in the document?
45. Summarize the Michael Fey crime and consequence.
46. Do you think Michael’s punishment was fair? Why or why not?
47. Why would the punishment given to Michael not happen in the United States?
48. How did Craig Kielburger make a difference?
49. What could you do to make a difference in your community?
50. What is one reason immigrants would choose to leave the US and return to their native country?

Part 6: Risking it All (Page 12)

51. How do Benjamin Franklin’s quote and the snake political cartoon go together?
52. What would you be willing to risk your life for? Explain your thinking.

Part 7: Voting FAQ (Page 13)

53. What are the requirements to vote in a US election?
54. Do you think the voting requirements are fair? Why or why not?
55. How often do federal elections take place in the US?
56. Is Election Day always the same day? Why or why not?
57. When is the next presidential election?
58. What can you do until you turn 18 to engage in the political process?

Part 8: It’s Up To You (Page 14)

59. Summarize the main idea of this passage.