On July 4th, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted these words of Thomas Jefferson’s:
. . . 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.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed . . .
This upcoming school year, in honor of the next summer’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, teachers all over the United States will direct their students’ attention to the history behind these immortal words. They’ll debate the Declaration’s purpose and audience, the intention and word choice of its author, and the extent to which the American republic has fulfilled the Declaration’s vision. We want to help prepare teachers for this deep work by spending the fall focusing on the complicated legacy of the author of this groundbreaking document, Thomas Jefferson.
Our live teacher webinars provide content-rich and interactive PD through conversation. We’ll share a reading packet with registrants several weeks before the event and provide space for early discussion between participants. The documents, pre-seminar conversation, and questions asked in the discussion board are vital to shaping the direction of the panelists’ conversation. Audience members ask questions during the event, comment in the lively chat, and share resources and ideas.
So—grab a cup of coffee and join us online! Click the link below to register and learn more!
Our online seminars meet monthly on select Saturday mornings from 10.45am–12pm ET. Excerpts for discussion, a pre-seminar discussion board, a link to the seminar recording and relevant primary sources will be made available to registrants. Those who remain digitally present for the duration of the conversation will receive an attendance letter from Teaching American History for 1.25 hours of professional development.
