Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence H www.uscis.gov/citizenship 1

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was an important leader in 

U.S. history.

He was born in Virginia in 1743. 

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.

He was the third president of the United States.

He was president from 1801 to 1809. 

He was president when the United States bought 

the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. 

Jefferson started the University of Virginia in 1819. 

Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826. 

Map of the Louisiana Purchase Territory.

Courtesy of the National Archives.

Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, 

LC-USZC4-2474.

Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello.
2 Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence H www.uscis.gov/citizenship

Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is an important 

document for Americans.

In the 1700s, the colonists were angry with Great 

Britain. They said Great Britain did not respect the 

colonists’ rights.

The colonists wanted to be free from Great Britain.

The colonists wanted to declare their independence.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration 

of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence 

says that “all men are created equal.”

There are three rights in the 

Declaration of Independence: 

• life

• liberty 

• pursuit of happiness

The Declaration of Independence was 

adopted on July 4, 1776.

Americans celebrate Independence Day 

on July 4th. 

The Declaration of Independence.

Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson in 

“Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776,”

by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris. 

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-USZC4-9904.
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence H www.uscis.gov/citizenship 3

War of Independence 

Why did the colonists fight the British?

• because of high taxes

• because the British army stayed in the colonists’

houses

• because the colonists did not have self-government

The War of Independence started in 1775. 

The colonists declared their independence in 1776.

George Washington was a general during the war. 

The colonists won the war in 1783. 

After that, the colonies formed the original 13 states. 

Molly Pitcher firing a cannon at the 

Battle of Monmouth in 1778 during 

the American Revolutionary War 

by Percy Moran.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, 

LC-USZC4-4969.

George Washington at Princeton. 

Courtesy of the U.S. Senate Collection.
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The 13 Original States

There were 13 original states.

Look at this map of the 13 original states. Write the name of each state. 

1

2

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

1. Ne Ham 

2. Mas 

3. Rh Is 

4. Con 

5. Ne Yo 

6. Ne Je 

7. Pen 

8. Del 

9. Mar 

10. Vir 

11. No Ca 

12. Sou Ca 

13. Geo 
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence H www.uscis.gov/citizenship 5 

U.S. Symbols—Stars and Stripes

The first American flag.

The American flag today.

Look at the first American flag. 

This flag had ____ stripes. This flag had ____ stars.

Why? The first flag had ___ stripes and ___ stars 

to represent ___ colonies.

H H H H H H H H

Look at the flag today. 

Today the flag has ____ stripes. 

Each stripe represents ____ colony. 

Today the flag has ____ stars. 

Each star represents ____ state. 

The U.S. flag has three colors: 

_______, _______, and _______.

Word Search

Find these words in the puzzle. 

The words are down ($) or across ("). Circle the words.

Word Bank

FLAG STARS STRIPES

RED WHITE BLUE

LIFE LIBERTY HAPPINESS

JULY JEFFERSON

O R E D L B W C H

F J Q Y I G H V A

L U U M F W I U P

A L I B E R T Y P

G Y T S P N E Z I

J E F F E R S O N

M B Z P A C M P E

P L A Z L P V B S

O U N Y S T A R S

M E S T R I P E S
6 Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence H www.uscis.gov/citizenship

Listen, Repeat, Circle

Listen to your teacher. Repeat the question. 

Listen again and repeat again.

Circle the correct answer.

1. George Washington Thomas Jefferson Abraham Lincoln

2. free the slaves vote in an election declare independence 

3. 1776 1787 1803

4. religion and speech voting and taxes life and liberty

5. because of taxes because of the flag because of Jefferson 

6. to represent to represent to represent

50 colonies 50 presidents 50 states

7. Pennsylvania Louisiana Puerto Rico

8. June 4 January 1 July 4

Dictation

Listen to your teacher.

Repeat the words.

Write the words.

1. 

2. 

3. 
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence H www.uscis.gov/citizenship 7 

Independence Day

Copy these words. 

Independence Day

I________________

In________________

Ind________________

Inde________________

Indep________________

Indepe________________

Indepen________________

Independ________________

Independe________________

Independen________________

Independenc________________

Independence________________

D________________

Da________________

Day________________

Copy this sentence.

We celebrate Independence Day on July 4th.

We ce Ind Day on July 4th.

W D J 4th.

 .

The Statue of Liberty on July 4th.