BRYCE ON GOVERNMENT
– The written instruments used to govern and shape America.
NOTE: You may want to “bookmark” this column and pass the web address on to others, particularly young people.
I have many pamphlets describing the country’s governing documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, but I wanted something more comprehensive where I could quickly access the various documents by computer. What follows is a listing of the documents which shaped our nation. In addition to governing documents, the list includes treaties, acts, and landmark Supreme Court rulings. The Magna Carta and Mayflower Compact are included as they greatly influenced our need for government. I did not include presidential farewell addresses or speeches, except for the Gettysburg Address.
I’ve organized this into three sections:
* CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
* ALPHABETIC ORDER
* OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS that had a bearing on our country.
It is hoped this will become an important research repository for you. For each document, I am including background information as provided by Wikipedia as well as the actual text of the document itself. I hope you find it useful.
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Magna Carta – 1297
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Mayflower Compact – 1620
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Second Treatise on Government – John Locke – 1690
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Common Sense – Thomas Paine – 1776
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Declaration of Independence – 1776
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Articles of Confederation – 1777
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Northwest Ordinance of 1787
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Federalist Papers – 1787-1788
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Constitution – 1789
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Bill of Rights – 1791
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Jay’s Treaty – 1794
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Alien and Sedition Act – 1798
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Louisiana Purchase – 1803
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Supreme Court Decision – Marbury v. Madison – 1803
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Treaty of Ghent – 1814
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Supreme Court Decision – McCulloch v. Maryland – 1819
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Missouri Compromise – 1820
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Monroe Doctrine – 1823
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Supreme Court Decision – Gibbons v. Ogden – 1824
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Compromise of 1850
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Kansas-Nebraska Act – 1854
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Supreme Court Decision – Dred Scott v. Sanford – 1857
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Ordinance of Secession – 1860-1861
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Confederate States of America (CSA) Constitution – 1861
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Writ of Habeas Corpus, Lincoln suspends – 1862
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Emancipation Proclamation – 1863
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Gettysburg Address – 1863
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Appomattox Surrender – 1865
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Sherman Anti-Trust Act – 1890
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Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty (Panama) – 1903
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Peace Treaty of Versailes – 1919
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Social Security Act – 1935
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Lend/Lease Act – 1941
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United Nations Charter – 1945
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North Atlantic Treaty – 1949
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Peace Treaty of San Francisco – 1951
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Supreme Court Decision – Brown v. Board of Education – 1954
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Supreme Court Decision – Gideon v. Wainwright – 1963
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Civil Rights Act – 1964
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Supreme Court Decision – Miranda v. Arizona – 1966
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Supreme Court Decision – Roe v. Wade – 1973
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Torrijos–Carter Treaties (Panama) – 1977
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Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) – 2010
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ALPHABETIC ORDER
Alien and Sedition Act – 1798
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– Text
Appomattox Surrender – 1865
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Articles of Confederation – 1777
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Bill of Rights – 1791
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Civil Rights Act – 1964
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Common Sense – Thomas Paine – 1776
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Compromise of 1850
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Confederate States of America (CSA) Constitution – 1861
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Constitution – 1789
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Declaration of Independence – 1776
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Emancipation Proclamation – 1863
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Federalist Papers – 1787-1788
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Gettysburg Address – 1863
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Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty (Panama) – 1903
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Jay’s Treaty – 1794
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Kansas-Nebraska Act – 1854
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Lend/Lease Act – 1941
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Louisiana Purchase – 1803
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Magna Carta – 1297
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– Text
Mayflower Compact – 1620
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– Text
Missouri Compromise – 1820
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– Text
Monroe Doctrine – 1823
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– Text
North Atlantic Treaty – 1949
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Northwest Ordinance of 1787
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Ordinance of Secession – 1860-1861
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Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) – 2010
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Peace Treaty of San Francisco – 1951
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Peace Treaty of Versailes – 1919
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Second Treatise on Government – John Locke – 1690
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Sherman Anti-Trust Act – 1890
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Social Security Act – 1935
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Supreme Court Decision – Brown v. Board of Education – 1954
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Supreme Court Decision – Dred Scott v. Sanford – 1857
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Supreme Court Decision – Gibbons v. Ogden – 1824
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Supreme Court Decision – Gideon v. Wainwright – 1963
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Supreme Court Decision – Marbury v. Madison – 1803
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Supreme Court Decision – McCulloch v. Maryland – 1819
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Supreme Court Decision – Miranda v. Arizona – 1966
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Supreme Court Decision – Roe v. Wade – 1973
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Torrijos–Carter Treaties (Panama) – 1977
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Treaty of Ghent – 1814
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United Nations Charter – 1945
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Writ of Habeas Corpus, Lincoln suspends – 1862
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OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Statute of Anne (Copyrights) – 1710
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Bank Bill of 1791
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Napoleonic Law – 1804
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The New Deal – 1933-1936
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Kennedy Doctrine – 1963
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Indian Treaties
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Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at [email protected]
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
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Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
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LAST TIME: THE DANGER OF SAYING “NO” TOO OFTEN – Next time you are asked to move, think twice.
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