In this activity, you will analyze and compare the American Declaration of Independence with the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen.

Question

Question 1
Read the US Declaration of Independence. Look up any unfamiliar words in the dictionary. Then answer this question:

What does the Declaration of Independence say about people’s rights? What does it say about who should have the power in a nation?

Space used (includes formatting): 0 / 30000
Submitted!
Show Sample Answer
Question 2
Read the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. Look up any unfamiliar words in the dictionary, and then answer this question:

What does the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen say about people’s rights? What does it say about where the power lies in a nation?

Space used (includes formatting): 0 / 30000
Question 3
Use the documents and the information in questions 1 and 2 to answer the following questions.

Part A
List three ways in which the American and French declarations are similar.

Space used (includes formatting): 0 / 30000
Part B
There are a few ways the declarations differ. Which difference do you think was most important? Why?

Space used (includes formatting): 0 / 30000
Self-Evaluation
How did you do? Rate your work on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 as the highest score. Then write a brief evaluation of your work. Note what you learned and what challenged you.

Space used (includes formatting): 0 / 30000
each answer has to be 2 5th grader sentences

Answer 1

Question 1
The Declaration of Independence says that all people have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It states that the power in a nation should come from the consent of the governed, meaning that the government should only exist because the people want it to.

Question 2
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen states that all men are born free and have equal rights. It declares that the power of the government comes from the people and that everyone has the right to participate in its decisions.

Part A
Three ways the American and French declarations are similar are: both emphasize that people have natural rights, both believe in the idea of government by the consent of the governed, and both declare the importance of freedom and equality for all citizens.

Part B
One key difference between the two declarations is that the American Declaration focuses more on individual rights and freedom, while the French Declaration emphasizes equality among all citizens. This difference is important because it shows how the French Revolution aimed to create a society where everyone had the same rights and could work together, while the American focus was on personal freedoms.

Self-Evaluation
I would rate my work a 5 out of 5. I learned how both declarations stress important rights but have different focuses. The challenge was making sure my answers were clear and simple for a fifth grader to understand.