The Declaration of Independence

Describes the events leading to the composition and signing of the Declaration of Independence, and discusses the document's importance in American history.

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Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Stillwater Public Library	J 973.313 YER	Searching... Unknown

Judith Lloyd Yero's lively, interactive book takes a close look at the document that defines democracy in the United States and the events that led to the country's creation. Readers learn about the escalation of unrest caused by the King's tax and trade laws, which culminated in the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Period illustrations dramatize the evolution of the Declaration itself, and brief biographies highlight key figures such as Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson. The document's four sections are examined: the preamble, the list of beliefs, the list of 27 complaints against the King, and the formal statement of independence. The text also discusses the "unfinished business" of the Declaration, such as slavery and women's rights, and stresses the need to protect the rights enshrined in the document. Included in the backmatter are the complete text of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson's rough draft, and a portion of the Constitution of Virginia, which served as a model for the list of grievances against the King, with a web site reference to the entire document.

Author Notes

Judith Lloyd Yero is the author of Teaching in Mind: How Teacher Thinking Shapes Education. She lives in Hamilton, Montana.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-5-Using a combination of text, primary documents and sidebars, and full-color photos and reproductions, these introductions offer basic facts in easy-to-understand language. Bill of Rights is neither interesting nor well done. In highlighting the individual tenets, the text includes many present-day comparisons. However, with the abundance of facts and photographs, it is easy to see readers getting bogged down and a little lost as to which amendment is being described. Declaration is much more successful. It highlights the events of the early 1770s and explains the why and how that led the colonists to fight for independence. Sidebars include portraits of the signers and interesting facts that help to bring these men to life. Both books contain the complete texts of the documents under discussion. However, including The Virginia Declaration of Rights (Bill of Rights) and Thomas Jefferson rough draft (Declaration) is a bit of overkill for this audience.-Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Horn Book Review

Using short sentences with direct language, these volumes logically and comprehensibly explain the historical context of America's founding documents, unpack the documents' language, and give a brief overview of related, more recent events. A vivid design incorporates photos, historical artwork, artifacts, and sidebars to make the pages colorful and lively. Each document's exact text is found in the appendix. Glos., ind. [Review covers these American Documents titles: The Constitution, The Emancipation Proclamation, The Bill of Rights, and The Declaration of Independence.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

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Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Horn Book Review

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