AMERICA ROCKS is an educational cartoon series are various parts of our country’s history and government. It is geared to children to help them understand about our country. During the 1970s these educational segments were often shown on Saturday mornings as a public service announcement between cartoon shows. Each section contains information and facts about our country. Prior to viewing these videos, test your knowledge of American government and history. Answer as many questions as you can BEFORE we watch the videos. We will go over the answers after watching each segment.
If you are looking for more resources check out our US History Lesson Page.
Here is a link to the video.
1. Who is the author of the book Common Sense:
2. How many original colonies were there?
3. List as many of the colonies as you can.
4. List a few Founding Fathers:
5. Who signed the Declaration of Independence?
6. List three things we are granted in the constitution:
Fireworks (3:05)
Oh, there’s going to be fireworks (fireworks!)
On the Fourth of July (red, white, and blue!)
Red, white, and blue fireworks
Like diamonds in the sky. (diamonds in the sky!)
We’re going to shoot the entire works on fireworks
That really show, oh yeah
We declared our liberty 200 years ago.
Yeah!
In 1776 (fireworks!)
There were fireworks too (red, white, and blue!)
The original colonists
You know their tempers blew (They really blew!)
Like Thomas Paine once wrote:
It’s only common sense (only common sense)
That if a government won’t give you your basic rights
You’d better get another government
And though some people tried to fight it
Well, a committee was formed to write it:
Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston
John Adams, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson
They got it done (Oh yes they did!)
The Declaration, uh-huh-huh
The Declaration of Independence (oh yeah!)
In seventeen hundred seventy six (right on!)
The Continental Congress said that we were free (we’re free!)
Said we had the right of life and liberty
. . . And the pursuit of happiness!
Oh, when England heard the news (kerpow!)
They blew their stack (they really blew their cool!)
But the colonists lit the fuse
There’d be no turning back (no turning back!)
They’d had enough of injustice now
But even if it really hurts, oh yeah
If you don’t give us our freedom now
You’re going to see some fireworks!
And on the Fourth of July they signed it
And 56 names underlined it
And now to honor those first 13 states
We turn the sky into a birthday cake
They got it done (oh yes, they did!)
The Declaration, uh-huh-huh
The Declaration of Independence (oh yeah!)
In seventeen hundred seventy six (right on!)
The Continental Congress said that we were free (we’re free!)
Said we had the right of life and liberty
. . . And the pursuit of happiness!
We hold these truths to be self-evident
That all men are created equal
And that they are endowed by their creator
With certain inalienable rights
That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
And if there’s one thing that makes me happy
Then you know that it’s (oh)
There’s going to be fireworks!
