greykit.essays — American Founding/founding-documents

• 1774-10-14 [american-founding] Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress

  The colonies' first united statement of grievances and of the rights they claimed as Englishmen, on the eve of the Revolution.

  #founding-era#1770s#document#revolution#liberty#natural-rights#self-government
• 1775-07-06 [american-founding] Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms

  Congress's July 1775 declaration justifying armed resistance a year before independence — "resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves.

  #founding-era#1770s#document#revolution#liberty#natural-rights#self-government
• 1776-06-12 [american-founding] The Virginia Declaration of Rights

  Mason's declaration of inherent rights — a direct model for the Declaration of Independence and the federal Bill of Rights.

  #founding-era#1770s#document#natural-rights#liberty#self-government#religious-toleration
• 1776-07-04 [american-founding] The Declaration of Independence

  The thirteen colonies' unanimous declaration dissolving allegiance to the British Crown.

  #founding-era#1770s#document#revolution#natural-rights#liberty#self-government
• 1777-11-15 [american-founding] The Articles of Confederation

  The first federal constitution of the United States — a league of sovereign states whose weaknesses prompted the Convention of 1787.

  #founding-era#1770s#document#constitution#federalism#self-government#republicanism
• 1787-07-13 [american-founding] The Northwest Ordinance

  The charter for the Northwest Territory — guaranteeing rights, mandating public education, and forbidding slavery north of the Ohio.

  #founding-era#1780s#document#self-government#liberty#republicanism#slavery
• 1787-09-17 [american-founding] The Constitution of the United States

  The original 1787 Constitution establishing the federal government of the United States.

  #founding-era#1780s#document#constitution#federalism#separation-of-powers#republicanism
• 1791-12-15 [american-founding] The Bill of Rights

  The first ten amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing fundamental civil rights.

  #founding-era#1790s#document#natural-rights#liberty#religious-toleration#self-government
• 1795-02-07 [american-founding] Amendments XI–XXVII to the Constitution

  The seventeen amendments after the Bill of Rights — from the Eleventh (1795) through the Twenty-seventh (1992).

  #document#constitution#federalism#natural-rights#liberty#self-government#slavery