The Declaration of Independence is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on the audience and purposes of the Declaration, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.His.11.3-5. It prints 5 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
Read the source and answer the questions, then circle the right answers.
1.Look at the source, then answer the questions.
The Declaration of Independence: The Opening
The opening of the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, and drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
1. Whose opinions does the opening say the writers respect?
2. Who adopted the Declaration, and where?
3. What does the opening say one people must sometimes dissolve?
4. What station does the opening say a people may assume among the powers of the earth?
2.Why was the Declaration printed and sent far and wide?
A.To ask Britain to send more governors
B.To advertise land for sale
C.To win support for independence at home and abroad
3.What was the main purpose of the Declaration?
A.To announce and explain the colonies' break from Britain
B.To set up the three branches of government
C.To end a war with France
4.Which document set up the government the United States uses today?
A.The Mayflower Compact
B.The Constitution
C.The Declaration of Independence
5.Why did the Declaration's idea of equality matter to later reformers?
A.They used it to keep things the same
B.They used it to choose a king
C.They used it to argue for ending slavery and for women's rights
LessonPrint · D2.His.11.3-5 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — The Declaration of Independence
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. The opinions of mankind, people everywhere. 2. The Second Continental Congress, in Philadelphia. 3. The political bands which have connected them with another. 4. The separate and equal station.
2.To win support for independence at home and abroad
3.To announce and explain the colonies' break from Britain
4.The Constitution
5.They used it to argue for ending slavery and for women's rights
Questions about The Declaration of Independence
What does the The Declaration of Independence worksheet cover?
It practices the audience and purposes of the Declaration — 5 questions for Grade 3 to Grade 5, all on C3 Framework D2.His.11.3-5: Work out who a source was made for and why, from the source itself. The instruction to students is “Read the source and answer the questions, then circle the right answers”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which C3 Framework indicator does The Declaration of Independence practice?
D2.His.11.3-5, under History for Grade 3 to Grade 5. The published indicator reads: “Infer the intended audience and purpose of a historical source from information within the source itself.” The worksheet assesses that indicator rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
The Declaration of Independence is written for Grade 3 to Grade 5, typically ages 40-41. It is one of the sheets on D2.His.11.3-5, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does The Declaration of Independence come with an answer key?
Yes. All 5 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of The Declaration of Independence can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is The Declaration of Independence free to print and photocopy?
Yes. The Declaration of Independence, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for D2.His.11.3-5
Work out who a source was made for and why, from the source itself.