America's Founding Era Education Forum (AFEEF)

Founding Documents Primary Source Set

First page of the U.S. Constitution

This collection gathers the core documents of the founding era in one place so students can read the words the founders actually wrote. Each source comes with a short introduction, key vocabulary and questions that help students read closely.

Documents included

  • The Declaration of Independence (1776)
  • The Articles of Confederation (1777; ratified 1781)
  • The U.S. Constitution (1787)
  • The Bill of Rights (1791)

Use the documents together to trace how the United States moved from declaring independence to building a lasting system of government.

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