01Legal
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay · 1787–1788
Collection · Legal
Politics
Texts concerning political community, authority, constitutions, justice, and the common good.
Editorial text approved by Codex — draft editorial recordTexts in this collection
02Legal
George III · 1763
Royal Proclamation
Open text03Legal
Continental Congress; principal drafter Thomas Jefferson · 1776
Declaration of Independence
Open text04Legal
Continental Congress · 1777; ratified 1781
Articles of Confederation
Open text05Legal
George Mason; Virginia Convention · 1776
Virginia Declaration of Rights
Open text06Legal
Confederation Congress · 1787
Northwest Ordinance
Open text07Legal
George Washington · 1796
Farewell Address
Open text08Legal
Kentucky General Assembly · 1799
Kentucky Resolutions
Open text09Legal
James Madison; Virginia Legislature · 1798
Virginia Resolutions
Open text10Legal
Abraham Lincoln · 1863
Gettysburg Address
Open text11Legal
Abraham Lincoln · 1863
Emancipation Proclamation
Open text12Legal
United States Congress · 1789; ratified 1791
Bill of Rights
Open text13Legal
United States Constitutional Convention · 1787
Constitution of the United States
Open text14Legal
United States Congress · 1865
Amendment 13
Open text15Legal
United States Congress · 1868
Amendment 14
Open text16Legal
United States Congress · 1870
Amendment 15
Open text17Legal
George Washington · 1789
First Inaugural Address
Open text18Legal
George Washington · 1793
Second Inaugural Address
Open text19Legal
John Adams · 1797
Inaugural Address
Open text20Legal
Thomas Jefferson · 1801
First Inaugural Address
Open text21Legal
Thomas Jefferson · 1805
Second Inaugural Address
Open text22Legal
James Madison · 1809
First Inaugural Address
Open text23Legal
John Quincy Adams · 1825
Inaugural Address
Open text24Legal
Abraham Lincoln · 1861
First Inaugural Address
Open text25Legal
Abraham Lincoln · 1865
Second Inaugural Address
Open text26Legal
Ulysses S. Grant · 1869
First Inaugural Address
Open text27Legal
Ulysses S. Grant · 1873
Second Inaugural Address
Open text28Legal
Rutherford B. Hayes · 1877
Inaugural Address
Open text29Legal
Benjamin Franklin · 1787
Final Speech to the Constitutional Convention
Open text30Legal
Thomas Paine · 1776
Common Sense
Open text31Legal
Benjamin Franklin · 1784
The Project of Moral Perfection — Autobiography Selection
Open text32Legal
Henry David Thoreau · 1849
Resistance to Civil Government
Open text33Legal
Orestes A. Brownson · 1865; source edition 1866
The American Republic
Open text34Legal
John Adams · 1776
Thoughts on Government
Open text35Legal
John Quincy Adams · 1821
Independence Day Address
Open text36Legal
Brutus · 1787
Brutus I — Federal and Consolidated Government
Open text37Legal
Brutus · 1787
Brutus II
Open text38Legal
Frederick Douglass · 1866
Reconstruction — Selection
Open text39Legal
Frederick Douglass · 1845
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Open text40Legal
Frederick Douglass · 1852
What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? — Selection
Open text41Legal
John Woolman · c. 1763–1764; published posthumously
A Plea for the Poor
Open text42Legal
Robert E. Lee · 1861
Letter to Winfield Scott
Open text43Legal
Robert E. Lee · 1861
Resignation from the United States Army
Open text44Legal
Robert E. Lee · 1861
Letter to Anne Marshall
Open text45Legal
Robert E. Lee · 1865
Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia
Open text46Legal
United States Congress · 1867