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

Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence

Lesson Answer Key

Thomas Jefferson

Page 1

Reading text only

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. 

Declaration of Independence

Page 2

Reading text only

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. 

War of Independence 

Page 3

Reading text only

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 selfgovernment

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. 

The 13 Original States

Page 4

There were 13 original states.

Look at this map of these states.

Write the name of each state. 

1. New Hampshire

2. Massachusetts

3. Rhode Island 

4. Connecticut

5. New York 

6. New Jersey

7. Pennsylvania

8. Delaware

9. Maryland

10. Virginia

11. North Carolina 

12. South Carolina 

13. Georgia
2 Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence Lesson Answer Key H www.uscis.gov/citizenship

U.S. Symbols—Stars and Stripes

Page 5—top

Look at the first American flag. 

This flag had 13 stripes. This flag had 13 stars.

Why? The first flag had 13 stripes and 13 stars 

to represent 13 colonies.

H H H H H H H H

Look at the flag today. 

Today the flag has 13 stripes. 

Each stripe represents 1 colony. 

Today the flag has 50 stars. 

Each star represents 1 state. 

The U.S. flag has three colors: 

red, white, and blue.

Word Search

Page 5—bottom

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
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence Lesson Answer Key H www.uscis.gov/citizenship 3

Listen, Repeat, Circle

Page 6—top

Listen to your teacher. Repeat the question. Listen again and repeat again. Circle the correct answer.

Note to Teachers: Have the students repeat the question 2-3 times before having them find and circle the 

correct answer from the possible choices. Check the answers after each item as a listening exercise, or 

do all 8 items as a quiz and then go back to check the answers together.

1. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

George Washington Thomas Jefferson Abraham Lincoln

2. What did the Declaration of Independence do?

free the slaves vote in an election declare independence 

3. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

1776 1787 1803

4. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

religion and speech voting and taxes life and liberty

5. Why did the colonists fight the British?

because of taxes because of the flag because of Jefferson 

6. Why does the flag have 50 stars? 

to represent to represent to represent

50 colonies 50 presidents 50 states

7. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

Pennsylvania Louisiana Puerto Rico

8. When do we celebrate Independence Day?

June 4 January 1 July 4

Dictation

Page 6—bottom

Listen to your teacher. Repeat the words. Write 

the words.

Note to Teachers: Model these words twice. Have 

the students repeat after you. Then have them 

write the words. Go over the spellings together on 

the board.

1. Independence Day 

2. red, white, blue 

3. July 4, 1776

Independence Day

Page 7

Copy these words. 

Independence Day

Independence

Day

Copy this sentence. 

We celebrate Independence Day on July 4th.