The Declaration of Independence is one of the most influential documents in American history.  Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, this document expressed the will of the colonialists to be free from England and listed certain grievances to the King as reason for their intended separation.  The colonies voted on the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

 

Be an author of the Declaration!  Sign your name here.

 

Do you wonder who signed the Declaration of Independence?  While Thomas Jefferson is the most notable, there were 56 signers.  To learn fun facts about the signers of the Declaration, click here.

 

The Constitution of the United States of America
The Constitution of the United States of America was accepted by the delegates from all the states on September 17, 1787.  We reference the Constitution as being the ‘supreme law of the land’ because it lays out a basic design of how our government works by creating three branches of government: Legislative, Executive and Judicial.  The Legislative Branch, called Congress, makes laws for the nation.  The Executive Branch, led by the President of the United States, ensures that laws are obeyed.  The Judicial Branch is found in Article III of the Constitution.  Here, the authority of the Supreme Court is established.  The Supreme Court and all subsequent Courts interpret the meaning of laws and decide whether or not they break the rules of the Constitution.

 

To read the full text of U.S. Constitution, click here.

 

The Bill of Rights
There are 27 amendments to the Constitution, however only the first 10 amendments are known as The Bill of Rights.  The Bill of Rights sets forth protections of certain freedoms deemed invaluable to citizens of the United States in the pursuit of life, liberty and justice for all.  The Bill of Rights secures our freedom of religion, assembly, speech and press; the right to bear arms; the right of due process; and much more.  To discover your rights, read the Bill of Rights.

 

Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln is credited with saving the Union.  Between 1861-1865 the United States experienced a grave Civil War between the northern and southern states.  During the third year of the Civil War, President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation to abolish slavery stating that “all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”   Emancipation Proclamation.