1. Declaration of Independence
1.1. What is the general purpose of this document?
1.1.1. To persuade colonists to join the cause against Great Britain and to then eventually help to separate the colonies from Great Britain.
1.2. Who was responsible for writing it?
1.2.1. Thomas Jefferson is the main person responsible for writing the Declaration of Independence.
1.3. What time frame was/is the document significant?
1.3.1. 1776 - present
1.4. How is the document structured?
1.4.1. The Declaration of Independence is structured in an essay format.
1.5. What are the top 5 most important things about this document?
1.5.1. 1. The Declaration of Independence stated that we would fight for our freedom
1.5.2. 2. Created an idea for a government that is governed by the people
1.5.3. 3. Listed the complaints the colonists had towards the King of Great Britain and how they were governing the colonies
1.5.4. 4. Helped persuade colonists to join the cause against Great Britain
1.5.5. 5. All men possess certain unalienable rights
2. Northwest Ordinance
2.1. What is the general purpose of this document?
2.1.1. Create the northwest territory, organize its governing structure, and establish the process that a territory had to go through to become admitted into the Union as a state.
2.2. Who was responsible for writing it?
2.2.1. Nathan Dane is responsible for writing the Northwest Ordinance.
2.3. What time frame was/is the document significant?
2.3.1. 1787 - 1789
2.4. How is the document structured?
2.4.1. The Northwest Ordinance is structured into sections and articles.
2.5. What are the top 5 most important things about this document?
2.5.1. 1. Created the northwest territory
2.5.2. 2. Established the process a territory had to go through to become a state
2.5.3. 3. Organize the governing structure
2.5.4. 4. Started federal support for education by setting aside land in each township for schools
2.5.5. 5. Slavery became prohibited in the new territory
3. Articles of Confederation
3.1. What is the general purpose of this document?
3.1.1. Unify the new states that were created due to the American Revolution and define the Continental Congress for the new country.
3.2. Who was responsible for writing it?
3.2.1. John Dickinson was responsible for writing the Articles of Confederation
3.3. What time frame was/is the document significant?
3.3.1. 1781 - 1789
3.4. How is the document structured?
3.4.1. The Articles of Confederation is structured in an essay format.
3.5. What are the top 5 most important things about this document?
3.5.1. 1. Unify the new states
3.5.2. 2. Define the Continental Congress
3.5.3. 3. States were more powerful than the central government
3.5.4. 4. Authority to regulate foreign affairs, wage war, and maintain the postal system
3.5.5. 5. No power to regulate interstate commerce or to levy and collect taxes
4. Constitution
4.1. What is the general purpose of this document?
4.1.1. There are many purposes to the Constitution, but two key purposes was the creation of three branches of governments and the creation of the Bill of Rights
4.2. Who was responsible for writing it?
4.2.1. The main people responsible for writing the Constitution were Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Thomas Paine, and John Adams
4.3. What time frame was/is the document significant?
4.3.1. 1789 - present
4.4. How is the document structured?
4.4.1. The Constitution is structured into articles and then sections that are found inside of those articles.
4.5. What are the top 5 most important things about this document?
4.5.1. 1. Established America's national government
4.5.2. 2. Established fundamental laws
4.5.3. 3. Guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens
4.5.4. 4. There is an amendment process so that new is ideas and changes can be made on the Constitution
4.5.5. 5. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments took care of slavery
5. Bill of Rights
5.1. What is the general purpose of this document?
5.1.1. The protection of natural rights of liberty and property
5.2. Who was responsible for writing it?
5.2.1. James Madison was responsible for writing the Bill of Rights
5.3. What time frame was/is the document significant?
5.3.1. 1789 - present
5.4. How is the document structured?
5.4.1. The Bill of Rights is structured into articles and amendments.
5.5. What are the top 5 most important things about this document?
5.5.1. 1. Plays a very key role in American law and government
5.5.2. 2. Guarantees essential rights
5.5.3. 3. Guarantees civil liberties
5.5.4. 4. First 10 amendments of the constitution
5.5.5. 5. Helped some anti-federalists to realize that their rights and liberties would not be taken away
6. Federalist Papers
6.1. What is the general purpose of this document?
6.1.1. Persuade New York voters to ratify the proposed Constitution
6.2. Who was responsible for writing it?
6.2.1. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison were responsible for writing the Federalist Papers
6.3. What time frame was/is the document significant?
6.3.1. 1787 - 1788
6.4. How is the document structured?
6.4.1. A collection of essays
6.5. What are the top 5 most important things about this document?
6.5.1. 1. For the ratification of the Constitution
6.5.2. All of the important things found below are statements or ideas found in the federalist papers
6.5.3. 2. The proposed system would preserve the Union
6.5.4. 3. The states' rights would be protected because of the few, limited, and defined power that the federal government possessed
6.5.5. 4. The representative Congress would reunite the conflicting economic and political interests
6.5.6. 5. The U.S. Constitution protects all of the branches of governments from becoming too powerful over another branch, especially from keeping the judiciary as the weakest branch
7. Anti-Federalsist Papers
7.1. What is the general purpose of this document?
7.1.1. Arguments against the ratification of the federal Constitution. Some points were dangers of Civil War and despotism, along with Foreign wars and Indian wars
7.2. Who was responsible for writing it?
7.2.1. There were many people who were responsible for writing anti-federalist papers. Some names of these people are Mercy Warren, DeWitt Clinton, and Spencer Roane
7.3. What time frame was/is the document significant?
7.3.1. 1789
7.4. How is the document structured?
7.4.1. A collection of essays
7.5. What are the top 5 most important things about this document?
7.5.1. 1. A condensed government is a tyranny
7.5.2. 2. Dangers of Foreign Wars and Indian Wars
7.5.3. 3. States rights' and citizens rights' will not sustain as they did with the Articles of Confederation
7.5.4. 4. Dangers of Civil War and Depotism
7.5.5. 5. Received more attention from most people than the federalist papers