To Sign or Not to Sign
In this activity you will consider the arguments made by members of the Second Continental Congress regarding whether or not to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Closely examine the document. For a full transcript, click on “View Primary Source Details” and scroll down to select “Transcript.” Answer the questions below.
Imagine that you are a member of the committee tasked with writing the Declaration of Independence. What is going through your mind as you draft this document?
Eventually 56 delegates from 13 states signed the Declaration, in geographic order starting from the bottom right. But a few of the delegates who had voted for independence decided not to sign it. What objections do you think they might have had?
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