Beginning ( 4 lines)

Annarella: 1 Welcome to our 4th grade performance. We’ve spent the whole year learning new musical skills on recorders, bucket drums, and with our voices. Tonight, we’re excited to share our music with you!

Finn: 2. Our Readers Theater takes us back to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The story you’re about to see is based on real events.

Maggie: 3. Different Students will be portraying the same characters throughout the performance tonight and that is why they will be wearing signs to indicate who they are speaking as. 

Caleb: 4. We will meet Benjamin Franklin; John Hancock; Thomas Jefferson; who were leaders in the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

Aaliyah 5: And you will also meet  John Dunlap, an early American printer  and William Mchart a fictional printing apprentice. So sit back and enjoy our presentation of the Declaration of Independence; Words of Freedom 

Singing: This Land is Your land 

Scene 1 (5 lines) 

Carly Narrator 1. Congress meets in the state house. Some of the men want to break free of British rule. Others say that they should try talking to King George. 

Evelyn: Franklin: I spent years in Britain. I tried to make the king understand our concerns. He doesn't care! He’ll keep taxing us to pay for his war with France.

Lizzy: Hancock: The king already ignored other men and their pleas last summer.

Abby R: Jefferson: It’s too late! We have been at war with Great Britain for more than a year. 

Franklin: We must be our own nation! That's the only way that we can make sure our rights are protected.

Hancock: We need a government that will serve us— the people. 

Jefferson: I am tired of being ruled by a king who has never even seen this land. What does he know of the New world? 

Franklin: Exactly We are well within our rights to overthrow a king who doesn’t respond to our needs. 

Hancock: We must make these 13 Colonies free and independent of Great Britain! 

Jefferson: Yet, we are British Subjects. It is treason for us to talk of independence. If we lose the war the king will hang us. 

Franklin: True But as our friend Patrick Henry said—--”give me liberty or give me death!” 

Bucket Drumming : Marine Hymn 

Scene 2 (2 lines)

Layla -Narrator 2: A boy listens at the door as the men continue to discuss the issues with the King. 

Ann: Dunlap: Young man, what are you doing here in the Hallway?

Tessa: William: There in there talking about breaking all ties with Great Britain! 

Dunlap: Yes, I know. And they have good reasons. I just hope they can come to an agreement.

William: Are you one of the Delegates sir? 

Dunlap: No I’m John Dunlap, the Printer. My Print shop is just around the corner. 

William: I think I want to become a Printer too– Just like Benjamin Franklin. 

Dunlap: Well, It's hard work and requires long hours. You should come visit my shop to see for yourself. 

William: I’d like that! Thank you Sir. 

Scene 3 (3 lines)

Leon: Hancock: Gentlemen, I say we vote. Who is in Favor of declaring Freedom from Britain? 

Grace : Narrator 3: The men from 12 of the 13 colonies vote yes. The delegates from New York vote no. 

Hancock: Okay, it's settled then. We need to draft an official document. Mr. Jefferson, would you please write our declaration? 

Miles F: Narrator 4: John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston form a committee. They share their ideas with Jefferson. On July 2, Jefferson finished the First Draft. He shows it to Congress. 

Bucket Drumming: Give my Regards to Cohn

Scene 4 (9 lines) 

Lloyd: Jefferson: It took me four days to finish this. I hardly slept! 

Leo: Hancock: Let’s hear what you’ve written. 

Gavin S: Narrator 5: The document is read aloud to the delegates. Some of them want some changes to be made to the declaration. 

Hancock: What is written must be something that we’ll all agree to sign. 

Christian: Franklin: Especially since we are putting our neck on the line! 

Jefferson; Just don’t change the best line. 

Kayla : Narrator 6: We hold truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal. 

—---------

Joey :Narrator 7: That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. 

Elliott  Narrator 8 That among these are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

Hancock: I agree. That line should stay.

Franklin: I like that the declaration includes a list of the king’s offenses. It's very clear that he has done a lot of intolerable things. 

Jefferson: King George has forced us to do this. 

Madison: Narrator 9: Congress spends July 2 and 3 revising the document. 

Mason T: Narrator 10: And all delegates vote yes. 

Recorders: Hot Cross Buns; A Clair de la Lune

Scene 5 (4 lines) 

Spencer:Narrator 11: On July 4, John Hancock signs the official document—the Declaration of Independence. Charles Thomason Signs it, too. There isn’t time for the others to sign. 

Eva: Hancock: We must get copies made right away! 

Esme: Franklin: There has been a boy in the hallways for the past few days. Perhaps he would take it to the printer. 

Hancock: Young man, come out from behind that door! 

Savannah: William: I’m sorry sir. I meant no harm. I was just so interested in what your’t been saying 

Franklin; What is your name? 

William: my name is William McHart, sir. 

Hancock: Take this paper to Mr. Dunlap, the printer. Tell him that we must have 200 copies by morning.  

William: Right away, sir! But why do you need 200 copies?

Franklin: Our fellow countrymen will want to know what we have decided. 

Hancock: All of the people are waiting to hear from us. We should send our best riders to deliver copies to every town. 

Recorder:  Merrily we Roll along; Latin Satin 

Scene 6 ( 2)

Violet : William: Sir, I have here the Declaration of Independence! 

Merry: Dunlap: How many copies do they want me to make?

William: 200— By morning! 

Dunlap: By morning? I’m going to need help! 

William: I could help you! 

Dunlap: We'll have to work all night. 

Scene 7 (8 lines) 

Lilly : Poem: Working for Independence

We Will work, work work until the job is done

Brady: We will work work work until our freedom is won

Cash: We will work work work and do all that we can

Roman: To win win win freedom in our land 

Kierra: Here we have the declaration and we are pleased to see 

Grayson: That this paper call for freedom for you and yes for me

Ray: It declares our independence— our right to liberty! 

Eliana: It’s our Declaration of Independence, and it says that we are free! 

Scene 8 (3 lines) 

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Clara Narrator 12: Back to our story of writing the Declaration of Independence, our scene begins in the print shop where it has just been delivered and being read by the printer himself

Levi: Dunlap: I read this while you were gone. Do you understand its importance?

Caleb: William: I think it means that the fighting will continue with Britain. 

Mason: Narrator 13 : Yes but there’s more. This is the first time that anyone has ever said that a government should benefit the people. It says that kings must treat their subjects fairly. 

William: I heard the men call King George a Tyrant.

Dunlap: He is that and much more! King George thinks that because he was born to be a king he can rule any way he likes . He considers himself about other men. 

William: The declaration says that all men are to be treated equal. 

Dunlap: Yes, Indeed! Now please hand me that tray of the type we need to get busy! 

Recorders; Austrian Folk Song 

Scene 9 ( 2 Lines) 

Ayla: William: Mr. Dunlap, I know Ben Franklin. My father loves to read his almanac. But I don’t know much about the rest of the men in congress. Can you tell me about them? 

Henrik: Dunlap: John Hancock serves as president of the second continental congress. He is from Massachusetts. 

William: Do you know Mr. Jefferson?

Dunlap: Jefferson comes from Virginia. He is a lawyer who trusts people to govern themselves. 

William: I see Charles Thomson signed this. Who is He? 

Dunlap: Charles Thomson is the secretary. He serves the congress without pay. He keeps the best records I have ever seen. 

William: Why wasn’t George Washington there at the meeting? People say he is a great leader. 

Dunlap: He is leading the army. He could not leave his troops. They may be fighting the British as we speak. Now let’s ink the type, William. 

Scene 10 (7)

Freya: Narrator 14: On July 8th all but the delegates from New York sign the Declaration of Independence

Finley: Jefferson: Mr. Hancock, why did you sign your name so large? 

Annabelle: Hancock: So King George can read my name without his spectacles! 

Jefferson: Mem, I hope you all understand that signing this is the same as taking a sacred vow. 

Hancock: We must all stick together on this! 

Jefferson: if not the king will charge each of us with treason. He will target our homes and our Families. 

Abby: Franklin: That's right. We may have just signed our own death warrants

Hancock: Come, Let’s read our declaration to the people of this fine city. Right old state house Bell! 

Lanie Narrator 15: A crowd forms on the steps of the old state house. William and Mr. Dunlap listen as the Declaration is read to the people. 

Taylor William: I heard Congress debate those words. Then, I helped you print them. But I never understood the power of the words until they were read just now. 

Julia Dunlap: remember this day, my boy. You will tell your grandchildren about it someday. 

Jacob Narrator 16: On July 9th, New York agrees to sign the Declaration of Independence

Hancock: At last– we are all in agreement! 

Jefferson: We will fight for our Freedom! 

Franklin: And we will win! 

Greta Narrator 17: On August 2 1776, fifty-six men signed the official declaration of independence. The king wanted to punish the men who signed it. British soldiers were ordered to burn some of their homes.  Those of the of the delegates lost everything they owned

Boaz Narrator 18: Five were captured and thrown in jail. Yet none of them ever regretted signing the document. 

Singing : We Share America 

Ending lines 

Addison -It’s been an honor to share this story with you—thank you for being such a great audience!

Jordan -We’ve had a great time performing for you, and we hope you enjoyed watching it just as much.

Raelynn- Thank you for attending our 4th grade performance and helping us bring this piece of history to life.