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- Historical Documents -
Documents that helped shape our constitutional republic
The Magna
Carta
On June 15, 1215, an assembly of barons confronted a tyrannical
King John, demanding that traditional rights be recognized, written
down, confirmed with the royal seal, and sent to each of the
counties to be read to all freemen. The result was the Magna Carta,
and it became an inspiration for the American colonists.
The
Signing of the Magna Carta
The Iroquois
Constitution
For hundreds of years, a confederation of Iroquois nations existed under a
democratic form of government that served as a model for our own.
The Mayflower
Compact
Drawn up on board the Mayflower, this document established the
first foundation in the New World for written laws.
The
Signing of the Mayflower Compact
The Declaration
of Independence
With a historical precedent in the Magna Carta, the colonists
drafted a document that listed specific grievances against King
George III of England as grounds for the dissolution of their
ties to British Empire.
The
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
The Articles
of Confederation
The newly-liberated colonists wanted a formal document that spelled
out the importance of unifying the individual states. The result
was the Articles of Confederation which served as the first working
constitution of the United States of America.
The Constitution
of the United States of America
Many of the founders wanted a stronger centralized government
while at the same time maintaining the independence of the various
states. They cited several weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation,
among them being the fact that it did not authorize Congress
to raise money by taxation, did not empower Congress to regulate
trade among the states, did not give the federal government the
sole power to coin money, and required the unanimous approval
of all 13 states in order for the document to be amended.
The
Signing of the Constitution
The Federalist
Papers
These were written under the pen name "Publius" by
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to garner support
for the proposed Constitution that was to replace the Articles
of Confederation.
The Anti-Federalist
Papers
Despite popular support for the new Constitution, many were concerned
that it would not provide adequate protection against the tyranny
of a strong federal government. The Anti-Federalist Papers were
written to express those concerns.
The Constitution
of the Confederate States of America
When the southern states seceded from the Union, they believed
they were fighting to preserve federalism and the constitutional
vision of our forefathers. As you can see, almost the entire
document was copied word for word from the U.S. Constitution.
The
Signing of the Louisiana Ordinance of Secession
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