1. Declaration of Independence
1.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
1.1.1. The purpose was to get colonists to lose the loyalty to Britain, and to list the colonists' grievances against King George.
1.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing this document?
1.2.1. The person that is responsible for writing the document is Thomas Jefferson.
1.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant?
1.3.1. The document was significant from 1776 - 1783
1.4. 4.) How is the document structured?
1.4.1. The document is structured into parts. The first part explains how people are born with natural rights and they shouldn't be taken away. The second part lists how the British government has violated their natural rights. The third and final part the colonists declare themselves independent.
1.5. 5.) What are the top 5 most important things we need to know about this document?
1.5.1. 1.) It declares the colonists independent from the British.
1.5.2. 2.) It lists the grievances against the King George.
1.5.3. 3.) It states the natural rights of citizens that should not be taken away.
1.5.4. 4.) If the colonists that signed the document were caught then they were punishable by death.
1.5.5. 5.) It states that England has taken away the rights of the colonists.
2. Northwest Ordinance
2.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
2.1.1. The purpose of the document is to create the new Northwest Territiory.
2.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing this document?
2.2.1. Nathan Dane was responsible for writing the document.
2.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant?
2.3.1. The time frame was 1787.
2.4. 4.) How is the document structured?
2.4.1. The document is organized into different articles.
2.5. 5.) What are the top 5 most important things we need to know about this document?
2.5.1. 1.) The Northwest Ordinance set the rules for the Northwest Territory.
2.5.2. 2.) Slavery was not allowed in the Northwest Territory.
2.5.3. 3.) Guaranteed civil rights and liberties.
2.5.4. 4.) It established the format for future American land policies.
2.5.5. 5.) Started the idea of westward expansion.
3. Articles of Confederation
3.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
3.1.1. The purpose was it was the first constitution of the United States.
3.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing this document?
3.2.1. The person that wrote the document was John Dickinson.
3.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant?
3.3.1. The time frame was 1781-1789.
3.4. 4.) How is the document structured?
3.4.1. The document is structured by having a weak governernment, congress having limited powers, and states having all the powers.
3.5. 5.) What are the top 5 most important things we need to know about this document?
3.5.1. 1.) All 13 states had to approve before the Constitution was amended.
3.5.2. 2.) The document made the government very weak.
3.5.3. 3.) 9 of the 13 of the states had to approve for a new law to become a law.
3.5.4. 4.) Failed to become the United States governing document.
3.5.5. 5.) Concerned many, even some Founding Fathers, and was then ratified.
4. Constitution
4.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
4.1.1. The purpose of the document is it is the supreme document of the United States.
4.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing this document?
4.2.1. The people that were responsible for writing the document was the Founding Fathers present at the Constitutional Convention.
4.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant?
4.3.1. The time frame is 1787 - present day.
4.4. 4.) How is the document structured?
4.4.1. The document is structured by the first part being the preamble, and then the second part is the articles, and then the third part being the steps for amendment/the amendments.
4.5. 5.) What are the top 5 most important things we need to know about this document?
4.5.1. 1.) The preamble tells the future generations the Founding Fathers intentions.
4.5.2. 2.) The Articles are the layout of the governement.
4.5.3. 3.) The document was so well made that it is still used today.
4.5.4. 4.) Proved to be better than the previously failed Articles of Confederation.
4.5.5. 5.) Constitution can be amended or changed at any time by the government.
5. Bill of Rights
5.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
5.1.1. The purpose of the document is it lists the rights of the citizens of the United States.
5.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing this document?
5.2.1. James Madison is responsible for writing the document.
5.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant?
5.3.1. The time frame the document was significant is 1789 - present day.
5.4. 4.) How is the document structured?
5.4.1. The document is structured into many amendments.
5.5. 5.) What are the top 5 most important things we need to know about this document?
5.5.1. 1.) Says the rights the citizens of the United States have that cannot be taken away the government.
5.5.2. 2.) First amendments made to the Constitution.
5.5.3. 3.) Made to make the Anti-Federalists happy.
5.5.4. 4.) Gave more rights to the citizens of the United States.
5.5.5. 5.) Prevents history to repeat itself. For example: it prevents the American Revolution from happening again.
6. Federalist Papers
6.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
6.1.1. The purpose of the document was to promote ratification.
6.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing this document?
6.2.1. The authors were James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton.
6.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant?
6.3.1. The time frame the document was significant during was 1787 and 1788.
6.4. 4.) How is the document structured?
6.4.1. The document is structured into 85 articles that were formed into one big document.
6.5. 5.) What are the top 5 most important things we need to know about this document?
6.5.1. 1.) The authors of the document wished the Constitution would be ratified.
6.5.2. 2.) The authors of the document used pseudonyms to stay anonymous.
6.5.3. 3.) They help you see the Founding Fathers intent of writing each article of the constitution.
6.5.4. 4.) The authors persuaded many people to ratify the Constitution.
6.5.5. 5.) The document explains the benefits of belonging in the Union.
7. Anti-Federalists Papers
7.1. 1.) What is the general purpose of this document?
7.1.1. The purpose of the document was to be against ratification.
7.2. 2.) Who was responsible for writing this document?
7.2.1. Many Anti-Federalists wrote the document.
7.3. 3.) What time frame was/is the document significant?
7.3.1. The document was significant from 1787 - 1789.
7.4. 4.) How is the document structured?
7.4.1. The document is structured by the many different citizens' writings all put together to form the Anti-Federalist papers.
7.5. 5.) What are the top 5 most important things we need to know about this document?
7.5.1. 1.) Many of the authors used pseudonym to write the document.
7.5.2. 2.) Contain warnings of dangers from tyranny.
7.5.3. 3.) Ended when the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.
7.5.4. 4.) Some dangers were still unsettled after the Bill of Rights.
7.5.5. 5.) Some dangers are still coming up from the Constitution.