The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Articles of Confederation

An essential collection of America’s founding documents, The Constitution of the United States of America, the Declaration of Independence, and the Articles of Confederation brings together the texts that shaped the nation’s political identity, legal structure, and revolutionary principles.

This volume includes the Declaration of Independence, the bold 1776 statement that announced the American colonies’ separation from Great Britain and proclaimed the principles of natural rights, consent of the governed, and political liberty. It also includes the Articles of Confederation, the first governing framework of the United States, which reveals the early republic’s attempt to balance independence, union, state sovereignty, and national authority in the difficult years after revolution.

At the center of the collection is the Constitution of the United States, together with the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments. These documents define the structure of the federal government, the powers and limits of its branches, the rights of citizens, and the constitutional principles that continue to shape American law, politics, and public debate. For students, teachers, citizens, historians, and readers interested in American government, this edition offers the core texts of the nation’s founding in one convenient volume.

About the Documents

The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and announced the thirteen American colonies’ decision to separate from Great Britain. Drafted principally by Thomas Jefferson and revised by Congress, it became one of the most influential political statements in modern history. Its claims about equality, rights, liberty, and government by consent have shaped American political thought and inspired movements for self-government and civil rights around the world.

The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States. Drafted during the Revolutionary War and fully ratified in 1781, the Articles created a loose union of sovereign states with a limited central government. While they helped guide the young nation through and immediately after the war, their weaknesses soon became apparent, especially in matters of taxation, commerce, national defense, and enforcement of federal authority.

The Constitution of the United States was drafted in Philadelphia in 1787, ratified by the states, and put into effect in 1789. The Bill of Rights was added in 1791, followed by later amendments that expanded and clarified rights, citizenship, representation, and the powers of government. Together, these documents form the legal and political foundation of the United States and remain central to American civic life, constitutional law, and public argument.

The Constitution of the United States (ratified 1788) established the framework of the federal government and remains the supreme law of the land. The Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments define individual liberties and expand constitutional interpretation. The Declaration of Independence (1776) articulates the principles underlying the formation of the nation, while the Articles of Confederation (ratified 1781) represent the first structure of national governance prior to the Constitution.