Founding Documents of America: Documents Decoded(Documents Decoded)

Written by a renowned expert on the American Founding period, this book examines selections of key documents from 1215 through 1791 that were instrumental to the development of the U.S. Constitution and the American political tradition. The latest addition to ABC-CLIO's popular Documents Decoded series, John R. Vile's Founding Documents of America presents historic documents key to the foundations of our nation's government accompanied by introductions that supply background information and analysis that highlights key provisions and provide historical context. The coverage extends beyond the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights to provide contextual understanding of a wide range of other documents, such as private diary entries and political polemics, that will further readers' understanding of the United States' founding and early political development. The documents are organized chronologically into four sections: constitutional antecedents; the revolutionary and confederal periods; calling and convening the Constitutional Convention; and debating, ratifying, implementing, and amending the new Constitution. Through its more than 50 primary source documents—from the Magna Carta of 1215 through the Bill of Rights, which was adopted in 1791—this book will serve high school and college students seeking to understand the documents that laid the foundations for the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, and provide opportunities for student readers to build critical thinking skills.

Table of Contents:
Introduction, SECTION I. CONSTITUTIONAL ANTECEDENTS The Law of the Land, Magna Carta 1215 Against Common Right and Reason, Sir Edward Coke's Dr. Bonham's Case 1610 A Civill Body Politick, The Mayflower Compact 1620 No Man Be Compelled, The Petition of Right 1628 "A Model of Christian Charity," John Winthrop's Sermon 1630 An Orderly and Decent Government, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut 1639 The Free Fruition of Such Liberties, Massachusetts Body of Liberties 1641 The Peace, Safety, and Public Good of the People, John Locke's Second Treatise of Government 1689 The Rights and Liberties of the Subject, English Bill of Rights 1689 There Is No Such Thing as Slavery, Samuel Sewall's The Selling of Joseph: A Memorial 1701 Liberty of Conscience, Charter of Privileges Granted to the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania and Territories October 28, 1701 Proclaim Liberty, Liberty Bell Inscription 1751 Join, or Die, Benjamin Franklin's Sketch May 9, 1754 Mutual Defence and Security, The Albany Plan of Union July 10, 1754 SECTION II: THE REVOLUTIONARY AND CONFEDERAL PERIODS Life, Liberty, and Property, Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress October 14, 1774 So Void of Common Sense, Washington Forbids Soldiers from Celebrating Guy Fawkes Day November 5, 1775 'Tis Time to Part, Thomas Paine's Common Sense 1776 Remember the Ladies, Abigail and John Adams, Correspondence on Women's Issues March–August 1776 Adopt Such Government, Resolution of Second Continental Congress May 10, 1776 Absolved from All Allegiance, Richard Henry Lee's Resolutions June 7, 1776 The Basis and Foundation of Government, The Virginia Declaration of Rights Ratified on June 12, 1776 We Hold These Truths, The Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776 The Natural Rights of Mankind, A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom Introduced June 18, 1779; adopted 1786 Mutual Friendship and Intercourse, Articles of Confederation Written in 1776; adopted in 1781 E Pluribus Unum, Great Seal of the United States 1782 The Interest of the Community, George Washington's Circular to the States June 8, 1783 A Firm and Perpetual Peace, Treaty of Paris September 3, 1783 An Affectionate Farewell, George Washington's Address on Resigning His Commission December 23, 1783 No Powers but What Were Given, Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia 1785 The Sole and Exclusive Right, Congressional Proposal for Revising the Articles of Confederation August 7, 1786 SECTION III: CALLING AND CONVENING THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION Defects in the System, Annapolis Convention Resolution 1786 As a Mean to Remedy, Congressional Endorsement of Annapolis Convention Resolution February 21, 1787 An Aggregate View, James Madison Discusses Vices of the Political System of the United States April 1787 A House to Do Business, Rules for the Constitutional Convention May 28, 1787 The Infancy of the Science of Constitutions, The Virginia Plan May 29, 1787 Adequate to the Exigencies of Government, The New Jersey Plan June 15, 1787 Blessings on Our Deliberations, Debates over State Representation Lead to a Call for Prayer June 28, 1787 Articles of Compact, Northwest Ordinance July 13, 1787 This Infernal Trafic, Debates at the Convention over Slavery August 1787 Experience Must Be Our Only Guide, John Dickinson Emphasizes the Need for Experience in Governing August 13, 1787 Cabal and Corruption, Debates over the Presidency September 4, 1787 Make Manifest Our Unanimity, Benjamin Franklin's Final Speech at the Constitutional Convention September 17, 1787 We the People, The Constitution of the United States 1787 The Consolidation of Our Union, George Washington Transmits the Constitution to Congress September 17, 1787 In Conformity to the Resolves, Resolution of Congress Submitting the Constitution to the Several States September 28, 1787 SECTION IV: DEBATING, RATIFYING, IMPLEMENTING, AND AMENDING THE NEW CONSTITUTION The Instrument of the Union, James Wilson Comments on Ratifying the Proposed Constitution October 6, 1787 Our Freedom We've Won, "The Grand Constitution" Song October 1787 The Destruction of Your Liberties, Brutus Issues His Anti-Federalist Essay 1787 The Mischiefs of Faction, Federalist Papers, No. 10 & No. 51 1787–1788 The Tyranny of Rulers, Patrick Henry's Speech at Virginia's Ratifying Convention June 5, 1788 The Great National Dome, The Federal Pillars 1788 Ratification and the Bill of Rights, Letters between Madison and Jefferson 1787–1789 Summoned by My Country, George Washington's Inaugural Address April 30, 1789 To Administer Justice, Judiciary Act of 1789 September 24, 1789 To Bigotry No Sanction, Correspondence between Moses Seixas and President George Washington 1790 Amendments to the Constitution, The Bill of Rights Proposed by Congress in 1789; ratified in 1791 Timeline of Events, Further Reading, Index, About the Author,

About the Author :
John R. Vile, PhD, is professor of political science and dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University.