Eleanor Finch
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are considered the three most important documents in American history. The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. The Constitution, on the other hand, defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States. The Bill of Rights, which comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution, outlines the rights of citizens and states in relation to the government. While these documents are distinct, they are closely related and together form the foundation of American freedom and equality.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Drafted by people of similar backgrounds | Educated white men of property |
| Place of drafting | Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia |
| Year of drafting | 1776 and 1787 |
| Symbolises | Liberty and equality |
| Represents | Fundamental freedoms of the American people |
| Purpose | To separate from Great Britain |
| Defines | Framework of the Federal Government of the United States |
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What You'll Learn
- The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted by similar people
- The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the US was founded
- The Constitution defines the framework of the US Federal Government
- The Declaration of Independence was ratified before the Constitution
- The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are both considered American scripture
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted by similar people
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are considered the two most important documents in American history, along with the Bill of Rights. They are foundational texts that established the United States' guiding principles and the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. Both documents were drafted by people of similar backgrounds, generally educated white men of property.
The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 by the Second Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia. It was drafted by a committee that included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Thomas Jefferson, who authored the document. The committee's task was to articulate why the American colonies wanted to break away from British rule. The Declaration's famous preamble, stating that "all men are created free and equal", was widely celebrated and continues to be a defining aspect of American identity.
The Constitution was drafted in 1787, after the Revolutionary War, to address the problems that arose from having a weak central government under the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia, with delegates from twelve states (Rhode Island did not send a representative). George Washington, who had led the Continental Army during the war, was chosen to preside over the meetings. The delegates debated and compromised in secrecy for four months, resulting in a new system of government for the United States.
The Declaration and the Constitution share similarities in content and purpose. Both documents were created to secure the rights and liberties of the American people, though these liberties only became legally enforceable with the Constitution and the subsequent Bill of Rights. Benjamin Franklin was one of the few Americans to sign both documents. The documents are also connected by their role in establishing the United States' system of government and its core values, including the rejection of a powerful central authority and the protection of individual freedoms.
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The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the US was founded
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are considered the three most important documents in American history. They are known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, and they represent the ideals of liberty and equality that are fundamental to the United States.
The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson, who drafted the Declaration, included the famous line that all men are created free and equal, an idea that was influenced by Thomas Paine's pamphlet, "Common Sense". This pamphlet, published in 1776, argued that ordinary people had the capacity to govern themselves without the rule of a crowned official. This idea was a turning point in history, inspiring many Members of Congress and American colonists, and it is still defined by each generation of Americans.
The Declaration of Independence, therefore, laid the groundwork for the Constitution of the United States of America. The Constitution was drafted by a congress that met in Philadelphia in 1787, eleven years after the Declaration. It defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States and was written in the present tense to make it a "living document". The Constitution, along with the Bill of Rights, made the liberties alluded to in the Declaration of Independence legally enforceable.
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution and defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government. The fundamental freedoms of the American people were implicit in the Constitution and enumerated in the Bill of Rights. This process of enumerating rights began with the drafting of the Constitution, which was then followed by the Bill of Rights, and it continues today, with the 14th Amendment being ratified in 1868 to ensure that the federal government and the states respect the liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
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The Constitution defines the framework of the US Federal Government
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are considered the three most important documents in American history. They are known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, and they have secured the rights of the American people for over two centuries. These documents are fused together in the minds of Americans as they represent the liberty and equality that are best about America.
The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. It was drafted by a congress that met in Philadelphia in 1776. The document was signed over a long period, and its famous promise that "all men are created equal" was vindicated by the Civil War and the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution and defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government. It was proposed by Congress in 1789, two years after the Constitution was drafted. The fundamental freedoms of the American people were alluded to in the Declaration of Independence, implicit in the Constitution, and enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
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The Declaration of Independence was ratified before the Constitution
The Declaration of Independence was first, drafted in 1776 and ratified in 1776 or 1781 (sources vary). The Constitution of the United States of America was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1787 or 1789 (sources vary).
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are two of the most important documents in American history. They are considered the foundation of the country's philosophy and the bedrock of the American Charters of Freedom. The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. The Constitution, on the other hand, defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
The Declaration of Independence was drafted by the Second Continental Congress, which convened in Philadelphia in 1775. The Congress formed a committee that included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. Thomas Jefferson was tasked with articulating why the American colonies wanted to break away from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence made certain promises about fundamental liberties, but these liberties only became legally enforceable when they were later enumerated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The Constitution was written more than a decade after the Declaration of Independence. In the intervening years, most of the 13 states drafted their own constitutions, which included declarations of rights. In 1787, delegates from 12 states assembled in Philadelphia to revise the ineffective Articles of Confederation and create a new system of government. George Washington was chosen to preside over the meetings, and for four months, the delegates debated, argued, and compromised in secrecy. The resulting Constitution was a document that envisioned an entirely new system of government for the American people.
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The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are both considered American scripture
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are considered the three most important documents in American history. They are sometimes referred to as the Charters of Freedom. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are both considered American scripture.
The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. It was drafted by a congress that met in Philadelphia in 1776. The document includes the famous line from its preamble, penned by Thomas Jefferson, that "all men are created free and equal". This was influenced by Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense, published in 1776, which argued that ordinary people could govern themselves and did not need to be led by a crowned official.
The Constitution, drafted by a convention in Philadelphia in 1787, defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States. It was written in the present tense to make it a "living document". The Constitution was designed to address the problems that arose between the states after the war ended in 1783, when it was unclear whether the thirteen states were a collective or thirteen independent nations. The delegates from twelve states (Rhode Island did not send a representative) assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation and create a new system of government.
The Declaration of Independence made promises about which liberties were fundamental and inherent, but these liberties only became legally enforceable when they were enumerated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution and defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government.
Abraham Lincoln referred to the three documents, particularly the Declaration of Independence, as American scripture, invoking the idea of "American civil religion".
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Frequently asked questions
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are considered the three most important documents in American history. They are the Charters of Freedom that form the foundation of the country and are enshrined in the Rotunda of the National Archives. The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. The Constitution, on the other hand, defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
Both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were drafted by people of similar backgrounds, generally educated white men of property. They were also drafted by a congress and a convention that met in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia in 1776 and 1787, respectively. Both documents contain preambles, with the Declaration's Preamble containing the famous line "all men are created free and equal".
The Declaration of Independence made promises about which liberties were fundamental and inherent, but these liberties only became legally enforceable when they were enumerated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The fundamental freedoms of the American people were alluded to in the Declaration of Independence and later became implicit in the Constitution.
