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Key Facts of the Declaration, Constitution and Bill of Rights - Activity 4
   What: The 13 colonies declared independence from Great Britain. It is the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty. It's ideals of individual liberty was summarized in "self-evident truths". It also set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify to the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country.
    
When: July 4, 1776 Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence
    
Who:   Thomas Jefferson headed the committee that wrote The Declaration of Independence.   John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration.
2. Constitution
   What:   Supreme Law of the Land
It esablishes the form of the United States government and the rights and liberties of the American people. It consists of a preamble, 7 articles and 24 amendments. The Constitution establishes the federal system of separating powers between the national government and the state governments and it divides the powers of the national government among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
    
When: September 17, 1787 the Constitution was signed in Independence Hall by 39 of the 55 delegates and by William Jackson, the secretary of the Convention.
    
Who: James Madison is known as the "Father of the Constitution".
3. Bill of Rights
    What: Man is considered to have rights that are inborn, and no government may deprive him of these rights. The Bill of Rights is a document that describes the fundamental liberties of the people. It also forbids the government to violate these rights. It guarantees to everyone the freedoms of speech, of religion, and of the press, and the right to assembly. It also protects a person's right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".  It consists of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
    
When: December 15, 1791, 10 of the 12 proposed Amendments to the Constitution were approved by the states to make them a permanent addition to the Constitution.
    
Who: James Madison led the Congress in proposing the 12 amendments.
1. The Declaration of Independence