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Declaration of Independence
*Drafted by Thomas Jefferson with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams as editors.
* July 4th is the date it was approved by Congress but not signed. -
The Articles of Confederation
*Written by John Dickenson.
*In this document the new land was labeled The United States of America.
*Gave national goverment all powers not designated to the states. -
United States Constitution
*Written by Gov. Morris of Pennsyvania with help from Dickenson, Jefferson, Adams, Paine, Randolf, Madison, Sherman, WIlson, Wythe.
*These men are generally referred to as "The Framers".
*The original copy of the document is preserved in the Federal Archives in Washington, D.C. -
Bill of Rights
*Written by James Madison
*Presented 17 amendments with 12 being passed by Congress.
*4 years after the Constitution ten articles were ratified and became known as the Bill of Rights. -
George Washington's Farewell Address
*Written by George Washington
*It was a letter he presented to US citizens declining a third term as president.
*From 1899-1984 the "Address" was read by both Congress and the Senate to commemorate Washington's date of birth. -
The Monroe Doctrine
*Wrtiten by James Monroe
*Told Europe to stay out of Central and South American business.
*Written because the United States did not want these newly free countries to become European controlled again. -
Emancipation Proclemation
*Written by Abraham Lincoln.
*Executive decree that freed slaves.
*Seen as defining act that ended slavery. -
Gettysburg Address
*Written by Abraham Lincoln
*Used to honor the sacrifice of the soldiers and remind citizens the reasons to continue to fight the Civil War.
*Most well-known speech in American History -
The Pledge of Allegiance
*Written by Francis Bellamy
*It was written "I pledge alligiance to my flag" and changed to "the flag" in 1924.
*In 1943 the Supreme Court ruled that students could not be required by schools to say "The Pledge". -
"Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You"
*Written by John F. Kennedy
*4th shortest inagriaul address ever given but one of the most well-known.
*First address delivered to a television audience in color. -
"I Have a Dream"
*Written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
*He was watched by over 200,000 people when giving this speech.
*He wrote the speech 12 hours before giving it.
