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 UNITED STATES DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE [1776]

The unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America: New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia

The Declaration of Independence signifies the colonies’ break from England and the rule of George III. The Second Continental Congress formed a committee to write the Declaration, but the Committee thought it would be better for only one man to write the document. It took Thomas Jefferson seventeen days to write the Declaration of Independence. On July 2, 1776 the Congress voted to declare independence from England. After two days of debate and some changes to the document,on July 4th, the Congress voted to accept the Declaration of Independence.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. - -We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” 

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.  We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.  And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Let these truths be known and forever established that this solemn document

Of the United States of America factually. forthrightly and fundamentally states:

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all people are created equal...
(- read entire Declaration of Independence here)
That all people are made the same:

With a Heart!  And a Soul!

With a Body!  And a Mind!

That all people are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable, natural, rights

That among these natural rights are:

¶ LIFE ¶

The right for all people to Live

¶ LIBERTY ¶

The right for all people to be Free

¶ And the pursuit of HAPPINESS ¶

The right for all people to be Happy

 

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 THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION [1787]

The Constitution of the United States comprises the primary law of the U.S. Federal Government.  It also describes the three chief branches of the Federal Government: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial and their jurisdictions.  In addition, it lays out the basic rights of citizens of the United States.  The Constitution of the United States is the oldest Federal constitution in existence and was framed by a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen original states.  The Constitution is the landmark legal document of the United States  The basic instrument of our Government and the supreme law of our land.  The Constitution assigned to Congress responsibility for organizing the executive and judicial branches,   raising revenue, declaring war, and making all laws necessary for executing these powers.  The president is permitted to veto specific legislative acts, but Congress has the authority to override presidential vetoes by two-thirds majorities of both houses. The Constitution also provides that the Senate advise and consent on key executive and judicial appointments and on the ratification of treaties.  For over two centuries the Constitution has remained in force because its framers successfully separated and balanced governmental powers to safeguard the interests of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, and of the central and state governments.  More a concise statement of national principles than a detailed plan of governmental operation, the Constitution has evolved to meet the changing needs of a modern society profoundly different from the eighteenth-century world in which its creators lived.  The Constitution establishes a federal democratic republic form of government.  That is, we have an indivisible union of 50 sovereign States.  It is a democracy because people govern themselves.  It is representative because people choose elected officials by free and secret ballot.  It is a republic because the Government derives its power from the people.  The Founding Fathers, the framers of the Constitution, wanted to form a government that did not allow one person to have too much authority or control.  With this in mind the framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers,   or three separate branches of government. Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time they work together to make the country run efficiently and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed.   This is done through checks and balances. A branch may use its powers to check the powers of the other two in order to maintain a balance of power among the three branches of government.

  “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
(- read the entire Constitution of the U.S.  here)

Let these truths be known and forever established that this solemn document

Of the United States of America factually, forthrightly and fundamentally states:

The undeniable principles for which our Nation stands:

¶ HONOR - To be Good ¶

¶ LIBERTY - To be Free ¶ EQUALITY - To be One ¶

¶ JUSTICE - To be Fair ¶ HUMANITY - To be Kind ¶