Picture of U.S. declaration of independence and Proclamation of the Irish Republic with american flag background

Declaration Heard Around the World: Comparing Independence

Students will compare international Declarations of Independence with the U.S. Declaration, noting similarities and differences in content and style.

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Can ideas like “liberty” and “self-government” cross national borders and influence other movements?

In this activity, students rotate through a series of stations, each presenting excerpts from different Declarations of Independence–Ireland, Liberia, the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments, and the United States. Using the graphic organizer, students will compare each document to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, noting key similarities and differences in areas such as the justification for independence, references to natural or political rights, and the articulation of grievances. The station-rotation format promotes active engagement and exposes students to multiple perspectives, helping them synthesize broader global movements for independence and rights.

By the end of the activity, students will have the ability to analyze primary source texts and assess both the universal and unique aspects of struggles for freedom.

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Standards Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.5: Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.