U.S. Constitution – Bibliography of Primary Sources

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1. Magna Carta (1215) PDF

   The barons of England forced King John to sign this document which restrained the King from many evil acts. Most of this document concerns feudal law no longer relevant to us or what would be trivia to us, such as the King could no longer build fish dams on the Thames. However, paragraphs 39 and 40 are the first assertions of all free men’s rights against the crown. This document was crucial during the English Revolution in the 17th century from which many of our rights developed.

2. Petition of Right (1620’s) PDF

   The English Parliament forced Charles I to accept these rights in exchange for support in levying taxes. He later went back to his wicked ways which led to a civil war and the ultimate execution of Charles I.

3. Bill of Rights (1698) PDF

   After the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in England, Parliament got William and Mary to accept these expanded rights as the price for Parliament allowing them to rule England.

4. John Locke, Second Treatise on Government (1690)

   A retrospective justification for the overthrow of two English monarchs – Charles I and James II – and which was very influential in providing the founders with both the justification of our Declaration of Independence and the structure of our Constitution.

5. Declaration of Independence (1776) PDF

   The preamble is the key section of this document.

6. Articles of Confederation (1777)

   Agreed to by Congress November 15, 1777. Ratified and in force, March 1, 1781.

7. Constitution of the United States of America (1787) PDF

8. Read “The Founders Constitution”, an anthology including the Constitution and its supporting documents here »»»

9. James Madison, Notes on the Debates of the Constitutional Convention

   Two volumes of rather detailed notes on the main debates during the convention in Philadelphia. Francis Yates, a delegate from New York also produced some notes for the period during which he attended.

10. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, The Federalist Papers.

    A compilation of pieces written mostly by Hamilton to encourage the ratifying convention in New York to ratify the Constitution. To be used with caution, however, as Hamilton argued for a federal government, but later supported a more national view.

11. The Anti-Federalist Papers

    A compilation of pieces by those believing that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government. Many of these writers were actually members of the constitutional convention.

12. Records of the Ratifying Conventions

    It has been argued that these are really the most important
    documents to be used in determining the meaning of the Constitution, since they approved it based upon what they thought it meant. Click Here for a guide on the arguments by Gregory Maggs entitled, A CONCISE GUIDE TO THE RECORDS OF THE STATE RATIFYING CONVENTIONS AS A SOURCE OF THE ORIGINAL MEANING OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

13. Whitman v. American Trucking Association Supreme Court Summary PDF

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