The Declaration's Journey Teacher Resources
To mark the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, the Museum of the American Revolution presents a major special exhibition exploring the history and global impact of the Declaration of Independence from 1776 to today. Originating as a wartime statement of new nationhood meant to galvanize support for the Revolution and win allies for the new nation, the Declaration has since inspired a wide array of political and social movements that have used its language to support a variety of causes. With more than 100 nations having integrated its ideals into their own independence movements, the American Declaration of Independence has become one of the most influential political documents in modern history.
In celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, take your class on a journey with the Declaration of Independence around the world and throughout history with modular activities and ready-made worksheets to help your students dig deeper into influence of the Declaration of Independence.
Each unit is supported by one of the Big Ideas essays, as well as by a glossary of key terms. Paintings, photographs, historical objects, other declarations, and additional primary sources are woven throughout each of the five units. Activities are geared towards students at the middle school and high school level, but are written to support teacher flexibility in increasing or decreasing the challenge as appropriate for your students. See how these activities fit into national history standards using the National Standards Alignment Chart.
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The Declaration's Journey National Standards Alignment
The activities in this guide align with national standards set by the National Standards for History, NCSS’s Ten Themes and C3 Framework, and Common Core.
The Declaration's Journey Unit 1: The Declaration in its Time
Dig into people’s reactions to the Declaration and map out where news of it spread. Examine original copies of the Declaration and its revolutionary legacy.
The Declaration's Journey Unit 2: Age of Revolutions
Analyze objects, letters, and poetry while investigating the global connections between the Declaration of Independence and the Age of Revolutions.
The Declaration's Journey Unit 3: The Declaration’s First Century at Home
Use close looking to examine symbolism in paintings and political cartoons. Explore the influence of the Declaration of Independence on newer declarations.
The Declaration's Journey Unit 4: Independence and Human Rights in the 20th and 21st Centuries
Discover the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and how other countries became independent states with map activities and object and song analysis.
The Declaration's Journey Unit 5: The Declaration in 20th and 21st Century United States
Create a class museum of artwork from protest movements and examine primary source documents and photographs showing the impact of the Declaration’s ideals.
Learn More
The Declaration's Journey Big Ideas
Explore the impact of the Declaration of Independence and its ideals on its journey through global and United States history through these short essays.
The Declaration's Journey Glossary
Use these glossary terms to help your class explore The Declaration’s Journey Big Ideas and modular activities.
The Declaration’s Journey
October 18, 2025 - January 3, 2027The Declaration's Journey explores the history and global impact of the Declaration of Independence from 1776 to today and showcases how it has become one of the most influential political documents in modern history.
Your students' exploration of The Declaration’s Journey through the activities in this Teacher Resource Guide can be supported by the following Museum resources:
The Declaration’s Journey
October 18, 2025 - January 3, 2027This special exhibition is on display at the Museum from October 18, 2025 to January 3, 2027 and will include a virtual tour premiering in early 2026.
Season of Independence
This online interactive that maps a diverse range of perspectives on American Independence.
Black Founders Virtual Tour
This virtual exhibit tells the story of the Fortens, a family of Revolutionaries and their ongoing work to improve the nation’s dedication to the principle that “all men are created equal."
When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story
This online exhibit explores the little-known story of women voters in New Jersey between 1776-1807 and the movement to restore the right to vote to women in the United States.
Revolution Around the World
This series of essays explores the world’s influence on the American Revolution and its influence on the world.