Eleanor Finch
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are the three most important documents in American history. They are the foundational texts of the United States, expressing the ideals on which the country was founded and outlining the framework of its government. The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, states that the United States is a country independent of England and includes a list of grievances against the King of England. The Constitution, written in 1787, forms the federal government and sets the laws of the land. It was the product of political compromise and long debates over issues such as states' rights, representation, and slavery. The Bill of Rights, proposed in 1789, defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government.
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What You'll Learn
- The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the US was founded
- The US Constitution formed the federal government and set laws
- The Declaration of Independence has no amendments
- The US Constitution was written 11 years after the Declaration
- The documents were drafted and signed by different people
The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the US was founded
The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the document was finalised on July 4, 1776, and officially signed by representatives from the 13 colonies on August 2. The Declaration of Independence includes a list of grievances against the King of England and asserts the independence of the United States of America as a separate country. It begins with the famous sentence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
The U.S. Constitution, on the other hand, was written during the Constitutional Convention from May 25 to September 17, 1787. It formed the federal government of the United States and set the laws of the land. The Constitution begins with the words "We the people of the United States of America," emphasising that the government is "of the people, for the people, and by the people." James Madison, considered the "Father of the Constitution," later became the fourth president of the United States.
While the Declaration of Independence outlines the fundamental freedoms and inherent liberties of the American people, these liberties only became legally enforceable when they were enumerated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights, consisting of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, defines the rights of citizens and states in relation to the federal government.
The Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are often considered together as the three most important documents in American history. They represent the liberty and equality that define "We the People of the United States" and inspire free people worldwide. These documents are known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the nation.
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The US Constitution formed the federal government and set laws
The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution are often confused with one another. However, there are distinct differences between the two documents. The Declaration of Independence, finalised on July 4, 1776, expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and its intention to be a country independent of England. It also includes a list of grievances against the King of England.
The US Constitution, on the other hand, formed the federal government and set the laws of the land. It defines the framework of the US federal government and is "of the people, for the people, and by the people of the United States". The Constitution was written during the Constitutional Convention from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, along with the Bill of Rights, are considered the three most important documents in American history. They represent the liberty and equality that define "We the People of the United States" and inspire free people worldwide.
The Declaration of Independence, drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, makes promises about which liberties are fundamental and inherent. These liberties later became legally enforceable when they were enumerated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights defines the rights of citizens and states in relation to the federal government and is comprised of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
In summary, while the Declaration of Independence sets out the ideals and principles upon which the nation was founded, the US Constitution establishes the federal government and sets out the laws that govern the land and protect the rights of the American people.
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The Declaration of Independence has no amendments
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are often confused with one another, but there are important differences between the two documents. The Declaration of Independence, finalised and signed by representatives from 13 colonies in 1776, expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and its intention to be independent of England. It includes a list of grievances against the King of England.
The US Constitution, on the other hand, forms the federal government and sets the laws of the land. It was written during the Constitutional Convention from May 25 to September 17, 1787. The Declaration of Independence has no amendments, whereas the Constitution originally had 12. The Constitution begins with the words "We the people of the United States of America", indicating that it is "of the people, for the people, and by the people".
The Declaration of Independence was primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson, who later became the third president of the United States. James Madison, considered the "Father of the Constitution", went on to become the fourth president. The two documents are often conflated, but only six men signed both: George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Read, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson.
The Declaration, 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 represent the liberty and equality that define the United States. The Declaration of Independence laid the foundation for the nation's independence and its values, while the Constitution established the federal government and set the laws that would govern the newly independent nation. The lack of amendments to the Declaration of Independence reflects its role as a statement of principles rather than a legal document like the Constitution.
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The US Constitution was written 11 years after the Declaration
The Declaration of Independence, finalised on July 4, 1776, and the US Constitution, written in 1787, are both important documents in American history. However, they serve different purposes and were created at different times, with the Constitution being written 11 years after the Declaration.
The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and its intention to separate from Great Britain. The famous preamble states: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The Declaration also includes a list of grievances against the King of England.
On the other hand, the US Constitution formed the federal government and set the laws of the land. It begins with the words: "We the people of the United States of America," indicating that it is a document created by and for the people of the newly independent nation. The Constitution originally had 12 amendments, while the Declaration of Independence has none.
The two documents are often confused, and while they share similarities, there are important distinctions between them. The Declaration of Independence focuses on the fundamental freedoms and liberties of the American people, while the Constitution outlines the framework of the government and the rights of citizens and states in relation to it.
While the Declaration of Independence was signed by representatives from all 13 colonies, only six men signed both the Declaration and the Constitution: George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Read, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson. This highlights the evolution of American democracy and the changing needs of a young nation.
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The documents were drafted and signed by different people
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are two of the most important documents in American history. They are often confused with each other, and while they are connected, there are significant differences. One of the key distinctions is that they were drafted and signed by different people.
The Declaration of Independence, finalised on July 4, 1776, was principally drafted by Thomas Jefferson, who would go on to become the third president of the United States. It was not officially signed by representatives from all 13 colonies until August 2, 1776. The Declaration expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and its reasons for separation from Great Britain. It includes a famous preamble stating that "all men are created equal" and have "unalienable Rights," including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
The Constitution, on the other hand, was written during the Constitutional Convention from May 25 to September 17, 1787. James Madison, considered the "Father of the Constitution," was the fourth president of the United States. The Constitution formed the federal government and set the laws of the land. It begins with the words "We the people of the United States of America," emphasising that the government is "of the people, for the people, and by the people."
Despite being written just 11 years apart, only six men—George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Read, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson—signed both documents. This dispels the misconception that the same people drafted and signed both the Declaration and the Constitution.
The Declaration, the Constitution, and the subsequent Bill of Rights are collectively known as the Charters of Freedom. They represent the core values and principles that define the United States and its democratic ideals. While the Declaration proclaimed independence and outlined fundamental freedoms, the Constitution gave legal enforceability to those freedoms and established the framework for the nation's government.
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Frequently asked questions
The Declaration of Independence states that the United States of America is a country independent of England and includes a list of grievances against the English king. The U.S. Constitution, on the other hand, forms the federal government and sets the laws of the land.
The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 and signed on August 2, 1776, by representatives from 13 colonies. The U.S. Constitution was written during the Constitutional Convention from May 25 to September 17, 1787, and signed by 39 delegates.
Thomas Jefferson, who went on to become the third president of the United States, was the principal drafter of the Declaration of Independence. James Madison, considered the "Father of the Constitution," served as the fourth president of the United States.
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