Introduction
Dear John...
Have you ever heard of someone writing a "Dear John" letter to break up a relationship? Or read a breakup text saying, "It's not you, it's me"?
In this lesson, we’ll examine the most famous breakup letter of all time – the Declaration of Independence! You can think of it as a "Dear George" letter telling the king, "It's not us, it's YOU!"
As we analyze the Declaration of Independence, you will see how Thomas Jefferson carefully constructed the document to reflect the ways in which King George III did not honor the needs and wants of the colonists, leaving them no choice but to end the relationship and forge a new identity as America.
You may already be aware that others often influence our ideas and decisions. After all, you'd probably ask for your friends' advice before ending a relationship, especially if they had strong opinions about your significant other! As you will learn in this lesson, Enlightenment ideas and philosophers influenced Jefferson in his ideas and decisions, especially in the writing of this 'breakup letter'. You'll also discover how this 'breakup' had far-reaching consequences, both in the revolution at home and in other parts of the world.
And now, the breakup of one of the world's greatest relationships begins...
Keep this timeline of the writing of the Declaration of Independence open as you complete this lesson.