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Declaration of Independence.
By issuing the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the 13 American colonies severed their political connections to Great Britain. The Declaration summarized the colonists' motivations for seeking independence. -
The Treasury System was reorganized.
Two years later, by resolution dated September 26, 1778, the Congress established the offices of Comptroller, Auditor, and Treasurer; and two Chambers of Accounts, with three Commissioners each, to be appointed annually. -
Virginia Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom is a statement about both freedom of conscience and the principle of separation of church and state. Written by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786, it is the forerunner of the first amendment protections for religious freedom. -
Constitution of the United States.
Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the United States Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government. Its first three words – “We The People” – affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens. -
Federal Judiciary Act. .
The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the federal court system separate from individual state courts. It was one of the first acts of the First Congress. President George Washington signed it into law on September 24, 1789. -
Copyright act
On May 31, 1790, the first copyright law is enacted under the new United States Constitution. Modeled off Britain's Statute of Anne, the new law is relatively limited in scope, protecting books, maps, and charts for only fourteen years with a renewal period of another fourteen years. -
The Bill of Rights gets Approved.
Ten of the proposed 12 amendments were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791. The ratified Articles (Articles 3–12) constitute the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, or the U.S. Bill of Rights.