Title: Happy 250 Birthday, United States!
         The Declaration of Independence & Bill of Rights

Theme: On July 4, 1776, the United States was born as a new country. That day, the leaders of the 13 colonies approved an important document called the Declaration of Independence. In it, they said that all people have rights — like the right to life, liberty (freedom), and the chance to be happy — and that governments are supposed to protect those rights. That’s why we celebrate the 4th of July as the United States’ birthday.

Once the United States became its own country, the people needed to decide how it would work. The United States Constitution is a set of rules and laws. It was written in 1787 and approved by the states in 1788. The Constitution allows for additions or alterations to its rules and laws. These additions are called “Amendments.”

The Bill of Rights are the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution, added in 1791. These Amendments give people certain rights and protections, like the right to a speedy and public trial, the right to confront witnesses against you, and the right to a lawyer. You can find more information about the Bill of Rights and what each Amendment says on the National Archives website: www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights/what-does-it-say

Task: Create a work of art addressing the importance of the Declaration of Independence, at least one of the Bill of Rights, or the Bill of Rights as a whole.