 |
 |
|
|
|
|
TEXT AND COMMENTARIES
[return to top] CONSTITUTION DAY
[return to top] HISTORICAL
Articles of Confederation (1781) (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) Documents of the Confederate States of America (1861) (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) Includes the Constitution of Confederate States of America, and other Confederate legal documents. Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention (U.S. Legal Issues , Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Legal Issues ) CONTINENTAL CONGRESS: Journals of the Continental Congress; Eliot's The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution; and Farrand's The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 (U.S. Legal Issues , National Digital Law Library Program) Declaration of Independence, including Jefferson's draft (Emory University School of Law's U.S. Founding Documents) Provides the text of the Declaration of Independence of 1776 along with a scanned images of the original document as well as of the four pages of a Thomas Jefferson's draft of the document. Declaration of Independence in text and images images (National Archives and Records Administration) Includes the text and scanned images of the original and the initial stone engraving of the documents as well as useful commentaries. See also Declaration of Independence: Right to Institute New Government (Legal Issues ) U.S. Founding Documents: The Federalist Papers (Emory University School of Law) The Federalist (also known as "The Federalist Papers") issued as a series of highly influential essays in support of the proposed United States Constitution, most of which appeared initially in New York newspapers under the pen name "Publius" during 1787 and 1788. The actual authors were Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison. See also the copies at University of Oklahoma Law Center's The Federalist Papers and Yale's Avalon Project Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776 (National Archives and Records Administration) The immensely influential Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, was adopted by the colonial convention June 12, 1776. The opening of the Declaration of Independence (adopted a few weeks) borrowed from this document, and the U.S. Bill of Rights was adopted directly from this version of the natural rights of man as previously proclaimed in the English Bill of Rights of 1689 (see below) and philosophers such as John Locke. See also the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776 (Avalon Project) [return to top] INFLUENCES
ENGLAND: [English] Bill of Rights of 1689: An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) Provided specific inspiration for American "Bill of Rights" made into law almost a century later. ENGLAND: Exhibit: Magna Carta (National Archives and Records Administration) The "Great Charter" version of 1297, which despite its original limited application has long been regarded as a foundation for the development of English liberties and political rights. Although King John of England was pressured into signing the first version, in 1215, (see below), and he violated its terms almost immediately, later kings repeatedly were compelled to confirm the limits Magna Carta set on royal powers, and the document proved immensely important hundreds of years after it was initially ignored. Portions are even reflected closely in the U.S. Bill of Rights. A translation of the text of the version of 1297, used to confirm its continuing effect at the coronation of Edward I, is offered at this site along with images of this original document, and commentaries. ENGLAND: Magna Carta, 1215 (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) Translated from Latin to English of what is believed to be the first version (from 1215) of the "Great Charter." Includes glossary. GREECE: Athenian Constitution by Aristotle (in English) Sir Frederic G. Kenyon's translation of Aristotle on the political structure (or constitution) of the ancient city-Lawyer Information and Law Firm Research Links for The State of Athens, which is usually considered a prime inspiration for the form of government chosen for the United States. IROQUOIS: Iroquois Constitution / The Great Binding Law Gayanshagowa (Indigenous Peoples Literature) The English version of the historic Great Binding Law ("Gayanshagowa") of the Iroqouis' Five Nations Confederacy, which is as much a social document as a legal document. [return to top] COURTS AND JUDICIARY DECISIONSRECENT DECISIONS: Supreme Court Syllabi Search (Cornell LII, Supreme Court Collection) Elsewhere, topics are listed by amendment topic and number; i.e. First Amendment; see Decisions by Topic, 1990 to Present [return to top] OTHER LEGAL GUIDES
|
|||
 top
of page |
 |
Ask a Louisiana Lawyer ( October 8, 2006 ) |
 |
