Founding Documents of America

John R. Vile, PhD, is professor of political science and dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University.

• Introduction,SECTION I. CONSTITUTIONAL ANTECEDENTSThe Law of the Land,Magna Carta1215Against Common Right and Reason,Sir Edward Coke's Dr. Bonham's Case1610A Civill Body Politick,The Mayflower Compact1620No Man Be Compelled,The Petition of Right1628"A Model of Christian Charity,"John Winthrop's Sermon1630An Orderly and Decent Government,Fundamental Orders of Connecticut1639The Free Fruition of Such Liberties,Massachusetts Body of Liberties1641The Peace, Safety, and Public Good of the People,John Locke's Second Treatise of Government1689The Rights and Liberties of the Subject,English Bill of Rights1689There Is No Such Thing as Slavery,Samuel Sewall's The Selling of Joseph: A Memorial1701Liberty of Conscience,Charter of Privileges Granted to the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania and TerritoriesOctober 28, 1701Proclaim Liberty,Liberty Bell Inscription1751Join, or Die,Benjamin Franklin's SketchMay 9, 1754Mutual Defence and Security,The Albany Plan of UnionJuly 10, 1754SECTION II: THE REVOLUTIONARY AND CONFEDERAL PERIODSLife, Liberty, and Property,Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental CongressOctober 14, 1774So Void of Common Sense,Washington Forbids Soldiers from Celebrating Guy Fawkes DayNovember 5, 1775'Tis Time to Part,Thomas Paine's Common Sense1776Remember the Ladies,Abigail and John Adams, Correspondence on Women's IssuesMarch–August 1776Adopt Such Government,Resolution of Second Continental CongressMay 10, 1776Absolved from All Allegiance,Richard Henry Lee's ResolutionsJune 7, 1776The Basis and Foundation of Government,The Virginia Declaration of RightsRatified on June 12, 1776We Hold These Truths,The Declaration of IndependenceJuly 4, 1776The Natural Rights of Mankind,A Bill for Establishing Religious FreedomIntroduced June 18, 1779; adopted 1786Mutual Friendship and Intercourse,Articles of ConfederationWritten in 1776; adopted in 1781E Pluribus Unum,Great Seal of the United States1782The Interest of the Community,George Washington's Circular to the StatesJune 8, 1783A Firm and Perpetual Peace,Treaty of ParisSeptember 3, 1783An Affectionate Farewell,George Washington's Address on Resigning His CommissionDecember 23, 1783No Powers but What Were Given,Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia1785The Sole and Exclusive Right,Congressional Proposal for Revising the Articles of ConfederationAugust 7, 1786SECTION III: CALLING AND CONVENING THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONDefects in the System,Annapolis Convention Resolution1786As a Mean to Remedy,Congressional Endorsement of Annapolis Convention ResolutionFebruary 21, 1787An Aggregate View,James Madison Discusses Vices of the Political System of the United StatesApril 1787A House to Do Business,Rules for the Constitutional ConventionMay 28, 1787The Infancy of the Science of Constitutions,The Virginia PlanMay 29, 1787Adequate to the Exigencies of Government,The New Jersey PlanJune 15, 1787Blessings on Our Deliberations,Debates over State Representation Lead to a Call for PrayerJune 28, 1787Articles of Compact,Northwest OrdinanceJuly 13, 1787This Infernal Trafic,Debates at the Convention over SlaveryAugust 1787Experience Must Be Our Only Guide,John Dickinson Emphasizes the Need for Experience in GoverningAugust 13, 1787Cabal and Corruption,Debates over the PresidencySeptember 4, 1787Make Manifest Our Unanimity,Benjamin Franklin's Final Speech at the Constitutional ConventionSeptember 17, 1787We the People,The Constitution of the United States1787The Consolidation of Our Union,George Washington Transmits the Constitution to CongressSeptember 17, 1787In Conformity to the Resolves,Resolution of Congress Submitting the Constitution to the Several StatesSeptember 28, 1787SECTION IV: DEBATING, RATIFYING, IMPLEMENTING, AND AMENDING THE NEW CONSTITUTIONThe Instrument of the Union,James Wilson Comments on Ratifying the Proposed ConstitutionOctober 6, 1787Our Freedom We've Won,"The Grand Constitution" SongOctober 1787The Destruction of Your Liberties,Brutus Issues His Anti-Federalist Essay1787The Mischiefs of Faction,Federalist Papers, No. 10 & No. 511787–1788The Tyranny of Rulers,Patrick Henry's Speech at Virginia's Ratifying ConventionJune 5, 1788The Great National Dome,The Federal Pillars1788Ratification and the Bill of Rights,Letters between Madison and Jefferson1787–1789Summoned by My Country,George Washington's Inaugural AddressApril 30, 1789To Administer Justice,Judiciary Act of 1789September 24, 1789To Bigotry No Sanction,Correspondence between Moses Seixas and President George Washington1790Amendments to the Constitution,The Bill of RightsProposed by Congress in 1789; ratified in 1791Timeline of Events,Further Reading,Index,About the Author,