[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 29, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E44]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

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                           HON. HENRY J. HYDE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 29, 2002

  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, last year marked the 225th Anniversary of the 
Declaration of Independence, arguably one of the most important 
documents ever written. The National Lawyers Association Foundation has 
honored this anniversary by producing educational materials for 
elementary school students, a project that I believe is worthy of 
recognition. I therefore submit the following for your review:

 Educating the Public on the Legal and Historical Significance of the 
                      Declaration of Independence

       In 2001, our nation celebrated its 225th anniversary of the 
     Declaration of Independence. By signing this document the 
     Founding Fathers pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred 
     honor to the causes set forth in the Declaration of 
     Independence.
       In order to help American children appreciate and 
     understand the significance of the Declaration of 
     Independence, the National Lawyers Association Foundation, a 
     not-for-profit group has developed an educational program for 
     third, fourth, and fifth graders. This program consists of an 
     entertaining 6-minute video that helps them understand the 
     clear, ringing language in the Declaration. The video 
     introduces students to the concept of the self-evident 
     truths, that all persons ``. . . are created equal, and 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 consent 
     of the governed.''
       The video helps teachers explain why the Declaration of 
     Independence was written to explain why we sought our freedom 
     from England, that unalienable rights are rights that cannot 
     be taken away from us; and that self-evident truths are 
     principles that will always be true; for example, that all 
     people are created equal.
       A lesson plan accompanies that video and encourages the 
     students to think about a situation that they feel is unfair 
     and write their own Declaration of Independence to understand 
     concepts regarding what rights they feel entitled to, why 
     they feel they deserve these rights, and compare them to what 
     the feelings of our Forefathers must have been whey they 
     wrote the Declaration of Independence. Students are also 
     encouraged to display knowledge of when the Declaration of 
     Independence was signed.
       The National Lawyers Association Foundation is making the 
     video, lesson plan, as well as replicas of copies of the 
     Declaration of Independence requested by elementary school 
     teachers in school classes, public and private, available at 
     no charge, as long as funds are available. The video and 
     lesson plan is also available to any interested individuals 
     or organizations such as home schoolers, lawyers, bar 
     associations and public service groups who desire to use the 
     video and lesson plan for a nominal fee. Replicas of the 
     Declaration of Independence are also available to the public 
     for a nominal fee as long as funds are available.
       The National Lawyers Association Foundation also plans to 
     continue the project to make videos and books regarding the 
     Declaration of Independence available to students in the 
     upper grades, as well as making available to all citizens, 
     copies of the Declaration of Independence and the 
     Constitution. The National Lawyers Association Foundation has 
     been told over 65,000 students across America have benefited 
     from the materials provided by their volunteer efforts. The 
     National Lawyers Association Foundation serves a need of the 
     American public and the world to appreciate how the Founding 
     Fathers of this nation created and established that there are 
     no classes of people in America and all people are endowed 
     with the same unalienable rights by their Creator.
       The language in the Declaration of Independence has been 
     quoted and spoken about by may of our American presidents and 
     also needs to be in the hearts and in the vocabulary of our 
     American citizens. The National Lawyers Association 
     Foundation is working to make the words of the Declaration of 
     Independence valued by all Americans and help serve the need 
     for the principles of the Declaration of Independence to be 
     spoken and honored, not only to America, but to the world at 
     large.

     

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