Facilitator Prep Sheet: "Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776"

Second posting (Grammatical errors have been fixed)
--Who is writing?
The Continental Congress is writing.

--Who is the audience?
The British King, Parliament, and Great Britain in general comprise the audience.

--Who do the writers represent?
The Continental Congress (the writers) consists of representatives from each colony, whom are elected by each colony, and thus the writers represent all the colonies (becoming one country) as a whole.

--What is being said, argued and/or requested?
Primary declaration:
It is being declared that the colonies are now independent of Great Britain.

Other declarations:
In addition, the declaration concludes that political connection between the colonies and Great Britain be disconnected, and that the colonies have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and all other rights of freedom.

--How is it being said, argued and/or requested?
The tone of the declaration is very assertive and official.

--What proof and/or justification is being used to legitimize the request?
The declaration includes a list of all unjust and thus damaging acts issued by Parliament and the King. At the end of this list, it states that numerous humble petitions have been made for the repeal of these unjust acts, but to no avail. It states, "In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury." Thus, the declaration justifies its stance in proclaiming independence from Great Britain, by making evident that doing so is the only option to end the oppressive acts enforced by the King and/or Parliament.