Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, two key documents

Declaration of Independence?  U.S. Constitution?  In a world history class?

Original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence written out in longhand by Thomas Jefferson, featuring "emendations" by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams - Library of Congress Manuscripts Division

Most world history texts don’t cover the issue, but Texas insists on testing sophomores (10th grade) on the documents.

Both documents provide a foundation for analysis of events following, through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Where is the student of world history to find them?

Here:

Declaration of Independence

• History, images and transcript, at the National Archives
• Library of Congress resources
• Text at USHistory.org
• Text at the Yale Law School’s Avalon Project
• Historical documents (including the Declaration) at the U.S. House of Representatives Education site
• Visit the Declaration and the Constitution, at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Constitution of the United States of America

• History, images and transcript, at the National Archives
• Bill of Rights at the National Archives
• Text at Cornell University Law School’s Legal Information Institute (LII)
• Historical documents (including the Constitution and Bill of Rights) at the U.S. House of Representatives Education site
• Constitution in two columns with explanation in modern English, from the U.S. Senate website
• Amendments to the Constitution proposed, but not ratified
• Annotated Constitution, from Findlaw.com
• Constitution in several different formats, from U.S. Constitution Online

Rotunda of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., where the Declaration and Constitution are kept on display - National Archives photo