- The Annapolis Convention
Report
This is the letter sent to the Congress by the delegates to the
Annapolis Convention that called for the Constitutional Convention
in Philadelphia.
Declaration of Causes and
Necessity of Taking up Arms July 6 1775
Read the reasons why the Colonists declared the need to take up
arms against the British.
Articles of Confederation 15 November 1777
This was the first Constitution of the United States but it was
replaced by the United States Constitution in 1787.
The Declaration of Independence
The document that formally declared that the 13 Colonies were
independent from Britain.
Declaration and
Resolves of the First Continental Congress October 14, 1774
Read the resolves of the Continental Congress.
The Constitution Of The United States Of America, 1787
Read the United States Constitution as it was originally ratified in
1787.
Inaugural Addresses of George Washington
Read the two addresses that Washington gave when he was elected as
the President of the United States.
The Paris Peace Treaty (Peace Treaty Of 1783)
Read the treaty that effectively ended the war in America. This
treaty also acknowledged the Colonies as a separate country in
British eyes.
The Virginia Declaration of Rights
This document spells out the rights of the Colonists and became the
blueprints for the Bill of Rights found in the United States
Constitution.
The United States Bill of Rights
The United States Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments to
the United States Constitution. They provide individual protection
of United States citizens against unreasonable governmental power.
You can read them here.
Letter Of The President Of The Federal Convention, To The
President Of Congress, Transmitting The Constitution
This is the letter sent to the Continental Congress by the
Constitutional convention about the new United States Constitution.
Mecklenburg Declaration
20 May 1775
Read the other Declaration of Independence.
Mecklenburg Resolves
Charlotte Town, Mecklenburg County May 31, 1775
This page contains the resolves of Mecklenburg County.
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
This law was passed by the Continental Congress in 1787. It dealt
with the administration of the northwest territory.
James Otis Stamp Act Oration 1765
Read the oration by James Otis against the Stamp Act that he
delivered before the Governor and Council In Boston, December 20,
1765.
James Otis Against the Writs of Assistance February 1761
Read the man's speech against the Writs of Assistance.
Resolutions of Congress on Lord North's Conciliatory Proposal
Read the response of the Continental Congress to North's proposal as
written down by Thomas Jefferson. This is from his public papers.
Second Treatise of Government by John Locke
Read one of the classic works on government by John Locke. This
treatise influenced the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine's Common Sense, the classic work that helped the
Americans decide their fate.
The
History of America's Historical Documents
