The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence explains the rights of people. It says people have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These rights are very important. The writers of the Declaration believed governments should protect these rights. The Declaration of Independence declared that Great Britain was violating those rights. It officially broke our ties with Great Britain. This began the creation of our nation.
What rights did the Declaration of Independence explain? Circle the answer in the article.
Part 1: The Preamble Introduction, defines our goals
The Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the country’s law. It protects our natural rights. It defines our civil rights. The Constitution has three parts. The preamble explains the purpose of the document. The Articles explain how the government should be run. They define the power of the government. The Articles ensure that no branch has too much power. The Constitution checks the balance of power. It helps the power remain with the people. The Amendments are changes made after the Constitution was written.
Part 2: The Articles Establishes how the government will run. There are seven.
Point to the part of the Constitution that explains how the U.S. government runs.
Part 3: The Amendments The 27 changes made to the constitution. The first 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights.
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