Declaration of Independence : Origins and Impact

The reference series, Landmark Events in U.S. History, uses both contributed essays from eminent scholars and excerpts of primary source documents with explanatory headnotes to focus on critical events in American political history and explain how it came about and why it continues to play such a vital role in the history and political evolution of the United States. The first three books in the series are Marbury versus Madison, The Louisiana Purchase, and The Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence remains one of the most valued and sacred political documents in American history. It has been and continues to be cited by emerging democracies, Supreme Court justices, and in political debates ranging from states′ rights to equal rights.

Through documents and analytical essays, The Declaration of Independence will explain:

• founding of the nation and its role in the crafting and interpretation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights
• how historical figures like Abigail Adams, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Malcolm X used the spirit of the document to advance their causes
• how the three branches of government - the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court - have used the Declaration of Independence as a means to advance political agenda
• how other countries were influenced by the Declaration.

Scott Douglas Gerber is a law professor at Ohio Northern University. His publications include First Principles: The Jurisprudence of Clarence Thomas and To Secure These Rights: The Declaration of Independence and Consitutional Interpretation.