America Votes for the Top 100 Documents that Shaped
America
In December 2003,
nearly forty thousand Americans cast more than 300,000 votes as part of a
national initiative titled: "The
People's Vote: 100 Documents that Shaped America," cosponsored by the
National Archives, National History Day, and U.S. News & World Report.
The Declaration of Independence received the top honors and more than
79% of the votes. more
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US Constitutionally Clueless
Only 17 percent of Americans in a recent poll express a
great deal of familiarity with the Declaration of Independence of July 4,
1776. About one in four say they don't know much about it at all.
more
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Apparently the Truths in the
Declaration of Independence Aren't so Self-evident
When Rep. Roger Wicker asked high school seniors in his
Mississippi district to name some unalienable rights, he got silence. "It's
not so much that they don't know the rote phrases and facts," said Wicker,
the sponsor of a House bill to improve civics instruction. "It just
demonstrates a real gap in the education of young Americans." more
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Florida Creates 'Celebrate Freedom Week'
Created by the Florida legislature in 2002 (House
Bill 0885) to help students learn key facts of American history,
Celebrate Freedom Week provides special classroom focus and instruction
on the intent, meaning and importance of the Declaration of
Independence. During this week, students recite the following
words of The Declaration of Independence:
"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."
more
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Texas Passes Bill to help Educate Students
on the Declaration of Independence and American History
Created in 2001, House Bill 1776 created
'Celebrate Freedom Week' in Texas public schools. Celebrate Freedom Week
encourages local school districts to include appropriate instruction in
each social studies class including an in-depth survey of the intent,
meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the United
States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, in their historical
context. Additionally, a school district may require students in grade
levels 3 through 12 to recite specific text from the Declaration of
Independence. ...more.
Arkansas General Assembly Enacts 'Celebrate Freedom Week'
To educate students about the sacrifices made for
freedom and the values on which America was founded, the Arkansas General
Assembly enacted 'Celebrate Freedom Week' in public schools on the
last full week of classes in September. The act (Act
682) was approved in March, 2003 during the 84th General Assembly
Regular Session.
During this week, all social studies classes are
encouraged to focus instruction on the meaning and importance of the
Declaration of Independence and other founding documents. more
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Georgia considers Mandatory School
Memorials for Sept 11
Schoolchildren in Georgia would designate the week of
September 11 by reciting the Declaration of Independence under a bill
discussed in the Georgia House during the 2003 session. The bill
called for all public schools to designate the week of Sept 11 as "Celebrate
Freedom Week," with at least three hours set aside during the week for
discussion of the Declaration of Independence. The bill was modeled after a
similar Florida law that passed in 2002. more
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