1. Declaration of Independence
1.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
1.1.1. to talk about all of our rights and that we're free
1.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing it?
1.2.1. thomas jefferson was the main writer of this but he had help from benjamin franklin, john adams, roger sherman, and robert r. livingston
1.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant
1.3.1. this document was signed in 1776 but it is still in use
1.4. 4.) How is the document structured
1.4.1. Is it divided into smaller sections, with each section having a special purpose on how everyone was created equally and our rights
1.5. 5.) What are the top most important things we need to know about this document?
1.5.1. it talks about our freedoms and it is well written, wanted peace, unity and states that all men are equal.
2. Northwest Ordinance
2.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
2.1.1. to discuss the land agreements
2.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing it?
2.2.1. nathan dane wrote this
2.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant
2.3.1. in 1777 until the Articles of Confederation were written
2.4. 4.) How is the document structured
2.5. 5.) What are the top most important things we need to know about this document?
2.5.1. It is the most important legislation that Congress has passed with regard to American public domain lands
3. Articles of Confederation
3.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
3.1.1. gave us the rules for governing
3.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing it?
3.2.1. John Dickinson
3.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant
3.3.1. 1781 until the constitution
3.4. 4.) How is the document structured
3.4.1. has no judicial or executive branch just one legislative branch that everyone was under
3.5. 5.) What are the top most important things we need to know about this document?
3.5.1. all 13 states had to agree on changes
3.5.2. had limited power over the states
3.5.3. gave us the name "united states of america"
4. Constitution
4.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
4.1.1. To authorize the federal government to exist,
4.1.2. To dictate its structure,
4.1.3. To delegate to it its powers,
4.1.4. and To impose some rules upon the state governments about what they cannot do.
4.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing it?
4.2.1. James Madison
4.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant
4.3.1. 1787 to present
4.4. 4.) How is the document structured
4.4.1. it's structured into articles into each section
4.5. 5.) What are the top most important things we need to know about this document?
4.5.1. States had more power than the national government
5. Bill of Rights
5.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
5.1.1. it's the first 10 amendments in the constitution
5.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing it?
5.2.1. James Madison
5.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant
5.3.1. 1791 to present
5.4. 4.) How is the document structured
5.4.1. it lists protections for the people and government to use
5.5. 5.) What are the top most important things we need to know about this document?
5.5.1. it is a guarantee that the United States Government, and later the States, would not interfere on rights that are personal to every human being in this nation, and those reserved to the States
6. Federalist Papers
6.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
6.1.1. promoted the ratification of the United States Constitution
6.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing it?
6.2.1. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
6.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant
6.3.1. 77 were published serially in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet between October of 1787 and August 1788
6.4. 4.) How is the document structured
6.4.1. it was a series of 85 articles and essays
6.5. 5.) What are the top most important things we need to know about this document?
7. Anti-Federalist Papers
7.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
7.1.1. The arguments against ratification
7.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing it?
7.2.1. Cato (likely George Clinton), Brutus (likely Robert Yates), Centinel (Samuel Bryan), and the Federal Farmer (eitheors r Melancton Smith, Richard Henry Lee, or Mercy Otis Warren)
7.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant
7.3.1. 1788
7.4. 4.) How is the document structured
7.5. 5.) What are the top most important things we need to know about this document?
7.5.1. they contained warnings of dangers from tyranny that weaknesses in the Constitution did not provide against good enough