Declaration of Independence Song CD
Fun sing-alongs make learning the words of the Declaration of Independence fun!
Resources
Celebrate Freedom Week Statutes for Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Oklahoma
Video: History of Celebrate Freedom Week In Florida
In the News
Seventy-one Percent of Americans Fail Civic Literacy Exam
College seniors have failed the civil literacy exams over the last few years, according to ISI. Is it any surprise that a survey of Americas report the same failing statistics? According to a study of 2800 respondents, thirty percent of elected officials do not know that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are the unalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence.
Celebrate Freedom Week Student Video
This video documentary entitled, ‘Taking A Stand for Freedom: The History of Celebrate Freedom Week in Florida,’ was created by high school students Steffy and Nathan Boyd for a history class project.
The 10-minute video includes an interview with Florida teachers and students during Celebrate Freedom Week in 2005, Bill Dillon, Charlie Clary and Jerry Melvin who sponsored the bill establishing Florida’s Celebrate Freedom Week.
Celebrate Freedom Week
Celebrate Freedom Week was first introduced in Texas in 2000. Florida followed Texas’ example in 2002, Arkansas in 2004 and Oklahoma in 2007. In each case, a week is set aside during the school year where K-12 teachers focus on America’s founding freedoms and teach the significance of The Declaration of Independence. Florida designates the last full week of classes in September as Celebrate Freedom Week while Oklahoma designates the week in November that includes Veterans Day as Celebrate Freedom Week. Texas designates the week of September 17 as Celebrate Freedom Week. Florida and Arkansas designate the last full week of September.
Texas, Oklahoma and Florida programs encourage teachers to teach or lead students in the daily recitation of 58 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, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
Each state’s Celebrate Freedom Week statute is listed below.
Texas Celebrate Freedom Week Statute
"BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
Sec. 29.903. To educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom in the founding of this country and the values on which this country was founded, ... is designated as Celebrate Freedom Week in public schools. Celebrate Freedom Week may include appropriate instruction, as determined by each school district, in each social studies class.
Instruction should include study 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.
The study of the Declaration of Independence should include the relationship of the ideas expressed in that document to subsequent American history, including but not limited to the relationship of its ideas to the rich diversity of our people as a nation of immigrants, the American Revolution, the formulation of the United States Constitution, and the abolitionist movement, which led to the Emancipation Proclamation and the women's suffrage movement.
During Celebrate Freedom Week, a school district may require students in grade levels 3 through 12 to study the text quoted below:
"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."
---- Excerpts from Texas’ Bill HB 587 Celebrate Freedom Week
Florida Celebrate Freedom Week Statute
"To educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom in the founding of this country and the values on which this country was founded, the last full week of classes in September shall be recognized in public schools as Celebrate Freedom Week. Celebrate Freedom Week ... must include an in-depth study of the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence.
To emphasize the importance of this week, at the beginning of each school day or in homeroom, ... school principals and teachers shall conduct an oral recitation by students of 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, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
---- From Florida Statute 1003.421 Recitation of the Declaration of Independence.
Oklahoma Celebrate Freedom Week Statute
"In order to educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom in the founding of this country and the values on which this country was founded, the date of November 11 is hereby designated "Veterans Day", and the week in which November 11 falls is hereby designated "Celebrate Freedom Week" in and for the public schools of this state.
The rules shall require the study of the Declaration of Independence to include the study of the relationship of the ideas expressed in that document to subsequent American history, including the relationship of its ideas to the rich diversity of our people as a nation of immigrants, the American Revolution, the formulation of the United States Constitution, and the abolitionist movement, which led to the Emancipation Proclamation and the women's suffrage movement.
The rules adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection C of this section shall also provide that during Celebrate Freedom Week or another week of instruction selected by the board of education, students in grades three through twelve study and recite the text quoted below:
"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."
---- From Oklahoma Statute, SENATE BILL 17
Arkansas Celebrate Freedom Week Statute
"AN ACT TO CREATE "CELEBRATE FREEDOM WEEK" IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE LAST FULL WEEK OF CLASSES IN SEPTEMBER; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
AN ACT TO CREATE "CELEBRATE FREEDOM WEEK" IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE LAST FULL WEEK OF CLASSES IN SEPTEMBER.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
SECTION 1. (a) To educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom in the founding of this country and the values on which this country was founded, the last full week of classes in September in Arkansas public schools shall be recognized as "Celebrate Freedom Week."
(b)(1) During "Celebrate Freedom Week" all social studies classes shall include instruction on as determined by each school in each social studies class.
(2) It is recommended that the instructions include the discussion about the meaning and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, with an emphasis on the Preamble and the Bill of Rights, in the document's historical context.
(3) It is suggested that a study of the Declaration of Independence include exercises related to the relationship of the ideas expressed in that document to subsequent American history, including the relationship between ideas contained in the document and the rich diversity of our people as a nation of immigrants, the American revolution, the formulation of the United States Constitution, the abolitionist movement and how it led to the adoption of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the women's suffrage movement."
---- more information: Arkansas Act 682 Celebrate Freedom Week