• The U.S. Constitution: A Reader
    • Copyright Information
    • Editorial Note
  • Foreword—Larry P. Arnn
  • I. The Apple of Gold and The Frame of Silver
    • Introduction—Larry P. Arnn
    • The Declaration of Independence
    • Letter to Henry Lee—Thomas Jefferson
    • Nicomachean Ethics—Aristotle
    • The Politics—Aristotle
    • On the Commonwealth—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    • Second Treatise of Government—John Locke
    • Discourses Concerning Government—Algernon Sidney
    • The Constitution of the United States of America
    • Fragment on the Constitution and the Union—Abraham Lincoln
  • II. Natural Rights and The American Revolution
    • Introduction—Mickey Craig
    • Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved—James Otis
    • A Summary View of the Rights of British America—Thomas Jefferson
    • An Election Sermon—Gad Hitchcock
    • The Farmer Refuted—Alexander Hamilton
    • Common Sense—Thomas Paine
    • Letter to Roger Weightman—Thomas Jefferson
  • III. The Founders on Religion, Morality, and Property
    • Introduction—David J. Bobb
    • Virginia Declaration of Rights—George Mason
    • Fast Day Proclamation of the Continental Congress
    • The Northwest Ordinance
    • Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments—James Madison
    • Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom—Thomas Jefferson
    • Letter to the Hebrew Congregation—George Washington
    • Farewell Address—George Washington
    • Letter to the Danbury Baptist Association—Thomas Jefferson
    • On Property—James Madison
  • IV. Government under the Articles of Confederation: The Problem of Legislative/Majority Tyranny
    • Introduction—David J. Bobb
    • The Articles of Confederation
    • Circular Letter to the States—George Washington
    • Letter to John Jay—George Washington
    • Letter to James Madison—George Washington
    • Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XIII: Constitution—Thomas Jefferson
    • Vices of the Political System of the United States—James Madison
  • V. Rethinking the Nature of Union and the Structure of Government
    • Introduction—Timothy W. Caspar
    • Letter Transmitting the Constitution—George Washington
    • Federalist 1—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 9—Alexander Hamilton
    • Essay I—Brutus
    • Federalist 10—James Madison
    • Federalist 15—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 23—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 39—James Madison
    • Federalist 40—James Madison
    • Letters I and II—Federal Farmer
    • Federalist 47—James Madison
    • Federalist 48—James Madison
    • Federalist 49—James Madison
    • Federalist 51—James Madison
    • Federalist 84—Alexander Hamilton
  • VI. The Three Branches of Government
    • Introduction—Timothy W. Caspar
    • Federalist 52—James Madison
    • Federalist 53—James Madison
    • Federalist 55—James Madison
    • Federalist 57—James Madison
    • Federalist 62—James Madison
    • Federalist 63—James Madison
    • Federalist 70—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 71—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 72—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 73—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 74—Alexander Hamilton
    • Essay XI—Brutus
    • Federalist 78—Alexander Hamilton
    • Marbury v. Madison—John Marshall
  • VII. The Founders on Slavery, the Rise of the Positive Good School, and the Roots of the Secession Crisis
    • Introduction—John Grant
    • Draft of the Declaration of Independence—Thomas Jefferson
    • The Northwest Ordinance
    • George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison on Slavery
    • Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII: Manners—Thomas Jefferson
    • Letter to John Jay—Alexander Hamilton
    • Federalist 54—James Madison
    • Letter to the English Anti-Slavery Society—John Jay
    • Letter to Henri Gregoire—Thomas Jefferson
    • Speech on Reception of Abolition Petitions—John C. Calhoun
    • Speech on the Oregon Bill—John C. Calhoun
    • Letter to John Holmes—Thomas Jefferson
    • Letter to Edward Everett—James Madison
    • The Missouri Compromise
    • The Wilmot Proviso
    • The Constitution and the Union—Daniel Webster
    • Alabama Slave Code of 1852
  • VIII. Crisis of Constitutional Government
    • Introduction—Kevin Portteus
    • Speech on the Kansas–Nebraska Act—Abraham Lincoln
    • Republican Party Platform of 1856
    • Dred Scott v. Sandford—Roger Taney
    • Speech on the Dred Scott Decision—Abraham Lincoln
    • A House Divided—Abraham Lincoln
    • Speech at Chicago—Stephen Douglas
    • Seventh Lincoln—Douglas Debate
    • The Dividing Line between Federal and Local Authority: Popular Sovereignty in the Territories—Stephen Douglas
    • Address at Cooper Institute—Abraham Lincoln
  • IX. Secession and Civil War
    • Introduction—Will Morrisey
    • Reply in the Senate to William Seward—Jefferson Davis
    • Reply in the Senate to Stephen Douglas—Jefferson Davis
    • South Carolina Secession Declaration
    • Cornerstone Speech—Alexander Stephens
    • Farewell Address to the Senate—Jefferson Davis
    • First Inaugural Address—Abraham Lincoln
    • Message to Congress in Special Session—Abraham Lincoln
    • The Emancipation Proclamation—Abraham Lincoln
    • Gettysburg Address—Abraham Lincoln
    • Second Inaugural Address—Abraham Lincoln
  • X. The Progressive Rejection of the Founding
    • Introduction—Ronald J. Pestritto
    • Liberalism and Social Action—John Dewey
    • The American Conception of Liberty—Frank Goodnow
    • What is Progress?—Woodrow Wilson
    • Socialism and Democracy—Woodrow Wilson
    • The President of the United States—Woodrow Wilson
    • The Presidency: Making an Old Party Progressive—Theodore Roosevelt
    • The Study of Administration—Woodrow Wilson
    • The Right of the People to Rule—Theodore Roosevelt
    • Progressive Democracy—Herbert Croly
    • The Inspiration of the Declaration—Calvin Coolidge
  • XI. Institutionalizing Progressivism: The New Deal and the Great Society
    • Introduction—David J. Bobb
    • Commonwealth Club Address—Franklin D. Roosevelt.
    • Democratic Convention Address—Franklin D. Roosevelt
    • What Good’s a Constitution?—Winston Churchill
    • Annual Message to Congress—Franklin D. Roosevelt
    • Commencement Address at Yale University—John F. Kennedy
    • Remarks at the University of Michigan—Lyndon B. Johnson
    • Commencement Address at Howard University—Lyndon B. Johnson
    • A Time for Choosing—Ronald Reagan
    • First Inaugural Address—Ronald Reagan