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The documents our predecessors left
for us contain a written record of our history, and bear witness to why we
are who we are and how our democracy evolved. In this video we look at the documents that come from the
tumultuous Revolutionary Era.
Educators from noted American universities share their insights on:
The State Constitutions (1776-1781) -- The Second Continental Congress urged
all the states to draft new constitutions, replacing their British royal
charters. The state constitutions, which precede the United States
Constitution, bear remarkable similarities, even though the various states
are quite different in population, geography, and economics.
The Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom
(1786) -- A basic tenant of American
freedom is the right to worship as we please. Thomas Jefferson, then
governor of Virginia, wrote this document, which establishes the separation
of church and state.
Common Sense (1776) -- Not everyone in the
thirteen colonies believed we should be a self-governing country, independent
from England. Those who believed this were called "loyalists"
(loyal to the crown). Thomas Paine’s impassioned publication, Common
Sense, laid out a compelling argument for the cause of independence and
dissuaded many from a loyalist position.
The Declaration of Independence (1776) -- Thomas Jefferson is credited
with almost single-handedly composing this masterful document. He
received invaluable help, however, not only from the others in the committee
of five, but from the writings of others, chiefly John Locke, who coined the
phrase "life, liberty and property," which was changed by Jefferson
to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
The Articles of Confederation (1776) -- The Second Continental Congress established a framework for
a national government with this document. While it did not go far
enough in establishing a strong central federal government, it was a
necessary step leading up to the writing of the United States Constitution in
1787.
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