In a paragraph, explain what you think Thomas Jefferson meant when he wrote the phrase “all men are created equal.” To whom does the word “men” refer in The Declaration of Independence, and how do you know that? In a paragraph, explain what you think Abraham Lincoln meant when he quoted Jefferson’s line that “all men are created equal.” To whom does the word “men” refer in in The Gettysburg Address, and why? In a paragraph, explain what you think Martin Luther King Jr. meant when he uses the phrase “all men are created equal,” in his Letter from Birmingham Jail and how it is different from what either Jefferson or Lincoln meant, and why? Write a paragraph explaining why you think it is important to understand historical context when reading an old argument. Use one of Jefferson, Lincoln, or King as an example.

In a paragraph, explain what you think Thomas Jefferson meant when he wrote the phrase “all men are created equal.” To whom does the word “men” refer in The Declaration of Independence, and how do you know that? In a paragraph, explain what you think Abraham Lincoln meant when he quoted Jefferson’s line that “all men are created equal.” To whom does the word “men” refer in in The Gettysburg Address, and why? In a paragraph, explain what you think Martin Luther King Jr. meant when he uses the phrase “all men are created equal,” in his Letter from Birmingham Jail and how it is different from what either Jefferson or Lincoln meant, and why? Write a paragraph explaining why you think it is important to understand historical context when reading an old argument. Use one of Jefferson, Lincoln, or King as an example.