The Rights of the Colonists
by Samuel Adams (November 20, 1772)

Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress
(October 14, 1774)

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death
by Patrick Henry (March 23, 1775)

Charlotte Town Resolves
(May 31, 1775)

Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms
by Thomas Jefferson & Colonel John Dickinson (July 6, 1775)

Common Sense
by Thomas Paine (February 14, 1776)

The Virginia Declaration of Rights
by George Mason (June 12, 1776)

Declaration of Independence
(July 4, 1776)

The Crisis Papers
by Thomas Paine (December 23, 1776 - December 9, 1783)

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
(Ratified March 1, 1781)

Federalist Papers
(1787 - 1788)

Anti-Federalist Papers
(1787 - 1788)

Constitution for the United States of America
(Adopted by convention of States, September 17, 1787;
Ratification completed, June 21, 1788)

Bill of Rights
(December 15, 1791)

Jefferson's Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank
(1791)

The Kentucky Resolutions of 1798
(adopted by the Kentucky Legislature on November 10, 1798)

John Quincy Adams on U.S. Foreign Policy
(Speech to the U.S. House of Representatives, July 4, 1821)

Inaugural and Farewell Addresses of the early presidents

George Washington's First Inaugural Address

(April 30, 1789)

George Washington's Farewell Address

(September 17, 1796)

Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address

(March 4, 1801)

Thomas Jefferson's Second Inaugural Address

(March 4, 1805)

James Madison's First Inaugural Address

(March 4, 1809)