This guide offers ideas on how to bring this interactive exhibition into your classroom. It provides recommendations on the best setup and pacing as well as discussion questions and activities for each of the exhibition’s four sections. By the end of this activity, your students will understand how the Continental Congress made its case that independence was worth a war.
We recommend projecting this online exhibition at the front of your classroom and working through it together with your students as a shared classroom activity. We recommend using the full-screen version (link opens in a new tab).
The exhibition is composed of four sections. Scroll through each section with your students. In this teacher guide, you will find discussion questions and activities you can use at the end of each section.
If you teach elementary and middle school students, we recommend focusing on the larger text in the exhibition. Farther down in this teacher guide, you will find questions and activities geared toward both elementary and secondary grade levels.
The cover image for the digital exhibition. This should be the first image you see when the exhibition loads.
How did the Continental Congress make its case that independence was worth a war?
You can see this question posed on the cover image for the exhibition, under the title. You might rephrase this question with your students in two parts:
Section 1
Overview: In this section, students learn about the Continental Congress’s reason for declaring independence.
The Section Starts: Immediately after the exhibition’s cover image with the text: “Delegates from the thirteen colonies were meeting in Philadelphia to confront an immense challenge . . .”
Elementary
Elementary
Secondary
We know what happened when King George ignored the colonists’ petitions. However, King George had other options:
Based on your knowledge about this time period and the people involved, what could have happened if the king had taken one of these other approaches? Draw a four-column chart and write four headings: Ignore, Compromise, Retaliate, and Concede. Under each heading, write a brief description of what could have happened if the king had taken that approach. Have students brainstorm and discuss their answers.
Section 2
Overview: In this section, students learn about how the Continental Congress spread news about their adoption of the Declaration.
Where It Starts: With the text “Making the Case for Independence.” You will see an image gallery with different copies of the Declaration.
Elementary
Secondary
Section 3
Overview: In this section, students learn about how the Continental Congress built their argument to convince their fellow Americans why a revolution was necessary.
Where It Starts: Just after the image gallery of the different copies of the Declaration, with the text “The Continental Congress needed to convince colonists that independence was justified, even if it meant war.”
Elementary
Elementary
Section 4
Overview: In this section, students learn how the Declaration did more than just cut ties with Britain; it also expressed the ideals of a future American government.
Where It Starts: With the image of the female embodiment of “Liberty” lifting a chalice for a bald eagle and the text “What Next?”
Elementary
Elementary
Symbolism can be a difficult concept for students. Use the image of Liberty as an example and then have the students draw a picture that uses symbolism to represent something they think of as an American ideal or trait. For example, a student might draw the Statue of Liberty, the American flag, or Lady Justice.
Secondary
Have your students watch the video “Benjamin Banneker: Letter to Thomas Jefferson,” which is located at the end of the online exhibition. After viewing the video they should discuss the following questions: What inconsistency did Banneker accuse Jefferson of? What did Banneker think Jefferson should do to set things right?