Independence Day
Writing Prompts #4

971. Imagine that the United States was never freed from the British. What would it be like to still be part of a colony that was ruled from afar? How might the laws be different? Why might you feel differently about your heritage?

972. In a distant possible future, all fireworks have been made into digital holograms. While the displays have become brighter, bolder and more high-definition, they are no longer real. What do you think such artificial explosions would lose by being faked? Which would you prefer, digital or real, and why?

973. You and your friends have decided to declare your independence and start a new country. What points might you try to make in this declaration? How would your new country alter the way people are treated? What would your new nation be called and why?

974. Independence Day is about freedom, but even after the Revolutionary War there were plenty of people who still weren't free. Why do you think slavery was still a part of early America? How do you think slaves felt with their masters talking about freedom and independence and why?

975. After opening a random book in the library, you've found out that one of your relatives was friends with the founding fathers of the nation. What did this ancestor of yours do with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others? How was he or she involved with the creation of the United States?

976. What is your favorite 4th of July barbecue activity, other than eating? Why do you enjoy it so much?

977. You have been transported hundreds of years in the past to the Revolutionary War. You have been given an American flag to keep safe during the battle for independence. What do you do with the symbol of our nation to keep it safe? How do you avoid capture and keep yourself out of harm's way?

978. You are the Declaration of Independence, a piece of parchment in a museum that witnessed some of the greatest moments of our nation's beginning. What are some of the stories you could tell? What secrets might you know that historians left out?

979. Do you think it's important to remember how the United States of America was started as a country? Why or why not? What benefits might we gain from remembering our past?

980. How do you think people will look at the founders of the United States far, far in the future? Will they still be celebrated as heroes? Why or why not?