The Annotated U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence

The Annotated U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence PDF

Author: Jack N. Rakove

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2012-10-22

Total Pages: 367

ISBN-13: 0674066227

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Here in a newly annotated edition are the two founding documents of the United States of America: the Declaration of Independence (1776), our great revolutionary manifesto, and the Constitution (1787Ð88), in which ÒWe the PeopleÓ forged a new nation and built the framework for our federal republic. Together with the Bill of Rights and the Civil War amendments, these documents constitute what James Madison called our Òpolitical scripturesÓ and have come to define us as a people. Now a Pulitzer PrizeÐwinning historian serves as a guide to these texts, providing historical contexts and offering interpretive commentary. In an introductory essay written for the general reader, Jack N. Rakove provides a narrative political account of how these documents came to be written. In his commentary on the Declaration of Independence, Rakove sets the historical context for a fuller appreciation of the important preamble and the list of charges leveled against the Crown. When he glosses the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the subsequent amendments, Rakove once again provides helpful historical background, targets language that has proven particularly difficult or controversial, and cites leading Supreme Court cases. A chronology of events provides a framework for understanding the road to Philadelphia. The general reader will not find a better, more helpful guide to our founding documents than Jack N. Rakove.

The Annotated U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence

The Annotated U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence PDF

Author: Jack N. Rakove

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2012-10-22

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 0674266544

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Here in a newly annotated edition are the two founding documents of the United States of America: the Declaration of Independence (1776), our great revolutionary manifesto, and the Constitution (1787–88), in which “We the People” forged a new nation and built the framework for our federal republic. Together with the Bill of Rights and the Civil War amendments, these documents constitute what James Madison called our “political scriptures” and have come to define us as a people. Now a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian serves as a guide to these texts, providing historical contexts and offering interpretive commentary. In an introductory essay written for the general reader, Jack N. Rakove provides a narrative political account of how these documents came to be written. In his commentary on the Declaration of Independence, Rakove sets the historical context for a fuller appreciation of the important preamble and the list of charges leveled against the Crown. When he glosses the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the subsequent amendments, Rakove once again provides helpful historical background, targets language that has proven particularly difficult or controversial, and cites leading Supreme Court cases. A chronology of events provides a framework for understanding the road to Philadelphia. The general reader will not find a better, more helpful guide to our founding documents than Jack N. Rakove.

The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States

The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States PDF

Author:

Publisher: Bantam Classics

Published: 2008-04-29

Total Pages: 114

ISBN-13: 0553904973

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Together in one book, the two most important documents in United States history form the enduring legacy of America’s Founding Fathers including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. The Declaration of Independence was the promise of a representative government; the Constitution was the fulfillment of that promise. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress issued a unanimous declaration: the thirteen North American colonies would be the thirteen United States of America, free and independent of Great Britain. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration set forth the terms of a new form of government with the following words: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Framed in 1787 and in effect since March 1789, the Constitution of the United States of America fulfilled the promise of the Declaration by establishing a republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, became part of the Constitution on December 15, 1791. Among the rights guaranteed by these amendments are freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the right to trial by jury. Written so that it could be adapted to endure for years to come, the Constitution has been amended only seventeen times since 1791 and has lasted longer than any other written form of government.

The Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States of America

The Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States of America PDF

Author: Thomas Jefferson (Declaration)

Publisher:

Published: 2017-09-03

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13: 9781976017650

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The Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution are two of the most important documents in American History, both conveying the principles on which the country was founded. Providing the framework and ideals that still guide American Politics today, these writings should be mandatory reading for every American. In a list of grievances against the King of England, the Declaration of Independence professes that all men are created equal and possess certain "unalienable rights" through natural law that no one should be denied. Over a decade after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Second Continental Congress recognized the need for a more robust and centralized framework for governing the newly formed United States. The United States Constitution went above a beyond the Articles of Confederation to more clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the Federal Government with the Bill of Rights defining individual liberties. The principles set forth here safeguard the sovereignty of American citizens by establishing civil liberties and placing certain restrictions on government influence. Nearly two and a half decades after its signing, the United States Constitution, with its Bill of Rights, is still revered as the Supreme Law of the Land.

The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776

The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 PDF

Author: J. Paul Selsam

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Published: 2016-11-11

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 1512806374

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Provides an account of the rebellion of the unprotected frontiersmen and the unfranchised artisans, who constituted two-thirds of the population in Pennsylvania, against the Quaker property owners in their attempt to achieve a voice in the government and establish a liberal constitution in 1776.

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