Declare the Causes: The Argument of the Declaration of Independence
1 -- Permission is granted to educators to reproduce this worksheet for classroom use
Worksheet 1. So What Are You Going to Do About It?
Student Name _____________________________________________________Date ___________________
Directions: As you begin to compose your “declaration”, first consider these questions as a group. Then
compose the best answer to each.
The Complaints
Questions/Sections
Notes
Parts of Your Argument
To whom would you
send your complaints?
Why? In what frame of
mind would you want
them to be?
What reasons would
you give for your
decision to write out
your complaints?
Section: Preamble
What makes you think
your complaints are
worthwhile?
Aren't there good
reasons why things are
the way they are? Why
should things as they
are be changed?
What is the basis for
your beliefs?
Would it be possible to
summarize the
thinking behind your
desire for change in a
single sentence?
Section: Statement of
beliefs, or the thinking
behind the complaints
Declare the Causes: The Argument of the Declaration of Independence
2 -- Permission is granted to educators to reproduce this worksheet for classroom use
Is there anything in
particular the reader
should notice about
your complaints?
Is there anything you
need to keep in mind
to make sure your
audience understands
and appreciates your
complaints?
What kinds of facts or
events inspired your
complaints?
What order should
they be presented in?
Section: List of
complaints
Have you already tried
to make any changes in
the treatment of young
people?
In what way?
Part: Prior attempts to
redress grievances
Is it possible to say in a
single sentence what it
is you really want to
happen?
It would take time to
change the system to
accommodate all of
your complaints. What
should happen right
away?
Declare the Causes: The Argument of the Declaration of Independence
3 -- Permission is granted to educators to reproduce this worksheet for classroom use
Section: Declaration
of independence
What would you be
willing to put forward to
prove the seriousness of
your attention?
What is most valuable to
you that you might be
willing to give up to have
your cause succeed?
Section: Oath
