Library Guides: Constitution of the United States: Constitutional History

Constitutional History

To Form a More Perfect Union
an essay from the Library of Congress' American Memory Project on the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention.
Declaration of Independence (1776)
an expression of the principles and ideals that are the underpinnings of our country.
Articles of Confederation (1777)
The "first" Constitution of the U.S. the Articles of Confederation bound the new republic together in a loose confederation.
Federalist Papers: Primary Documents in American History [full text]
written in 1787 and 1788, these papers written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay are essential for understanding the reasoning behind the framer's constitution.
Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline
an online interactive exhibit from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the timeline highlights key moments in constitutional history through, text, video, audio, and graphic media.
Elliot's Debates: The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution
from Lawmaking for a New Nation in the American Memory Project [Library of Congress].
Farrand's Records: The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787
a collection of documents from the constitutional convention. From Lawmaking for a New Nation in the American Memory Project.