As the Framers drafted different versions of our founding documents, their ideas of what it meant to be a republic also changed. In this unit, four lessons based on the drafts of the Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution, held at the collection at HSP, allow students to explore the language and ideas behind these pivotal documents. Starting with the Declaration of Independence, students will discover how language and words can represent larger ideas while trying to figure out how Jefferson wanted this masterpiece to be heard aloud. Moving into the Articles of Confederation, students will compare and contrast a draft with the final version to identify not only the strengths and weakness of this document but also the evolving perception the Framers had of themselves and the Republic’s identity during the Age of Revolution. Finally, the students will encounter two lessons concerning the United States Constitution. The first lesson will introduce them to the overarching ideas of the Seven Principles, and the second will build upon some of those principles by examining the Preamble in both a draft form and its final version.