United States Government: The Declaration of Independence

So this Britney Spears wannabe tells the story of this totally awesome document which is, like, so cool, dude. Unfortunately, history teachers who are more than coaches will be alarmed as soon as she says, “written more than 200 years ago, this piece of paper is the very essence of American government.” Uh, that would be the Constitution, folks. In addition, while discussing the oppressive British rule of the colonies in the 18th century, illustrations of the 16th, 17th, and 19th centuries are shown. Also disappointing is the mini-segment “American Originals” which interrupts the narrative twice to present prosaic biographies of Adams and Jefferson. Still, the tape is far from a total disaster; the male narrator is good and the segment featuring the words of the Declaration of Independence onscreen along with their meaning is great. Overall, however, this is disappointing. Students would actually learn more about the drama, personalities, and politics behind this revolutionary document by watching the musical 1776, written by history teacher Sherman Edwards. Optional. Other titles in the 11-volume United States Government series include: The Executive Branch, The Judicial Branch, The Legislative Branch, The U.S. Constitution & The Bill of Rights and U.S. Foreign Policy. Aud: J, H. (R. Reagan)