4th Grade History & Social Studies — America's Godly Heritage — From Columbus to the Constitution
Students will learn how the Declaration of Independence recognized that human rights come from God, not from government.
By the 1770s, the American colonists had grown tired of being ruled unfairly by the King of England. They were taxed without having any say in the laws that governed them. The colonists believed that God had given them the right to be free.
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved a document written mainly by Thomas Jefferson called the Declaration of Independence. This document told the world why America was separating from England.
The most important idea in the Declaration is that our rights come from God, not from any king or government. It says: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'
The word 'Creator' in the Declaration refers to God. The Founders believed that because God made every person in His image, every person has value and rights that no government can take away. This idea — that rights come from God — is what makes America's founding truly special.
The Declaration also says that governments get their power 'from the consent of the governed' — meaning the people. If a government becomes unjust, the people have the right to change it. The Founders signed the Declaration knowing it could cost them their lives, their fortunes, and their honor.
Copy the key phrase from the Declaration: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.' Decorate the words and discuss what each part means.