Discussion Post:

You should write a substantive paragraph (5-7 sentences) in response to the reading of the Declaration of Independence in the film Words That Built America. Having the document read to you by watching this film will help you pay close attention to its "narrative structure"--the framework that underlies the order and manner in which the argument is presented. Paying attention to narrative structure (how an argument unfolds) is also about noticing the relationship between content (what is being said) and form (how it is being said). For example, the repetition of the phrase "He has..." over and over again creates a powerful impact.

In your discussion board post, take a few sentences to summarize the narrative structure of the document. What is the overall tone of the document? If you had to describe the tone in one word, what would it be? (You can also draw here, in thinking about the "mood" of the moment, from the short clips you watched from John Adams, which depict how they signed this document knowing full well that the king declared that traitors would receive a sentence of death). How is the argument of the Declaration developed over the course of the document? How does hearing the document read to you (perhaps while following along) change your understanding of its form and content? You have probably read this document before--what did you notice this time around that you might not have noticed before? Note any keywords that stick out to you or that you find interesting. You might briefly mention which traditions those keywords come from (republicanism, social contract theory, utilitarianism, or natural law).

This is a space for you to generate your own set of observations and to share those observations in the form of a substantive paragraph (5-7 sentences).