The Founding of America
The Words that Shaped a Nation

This anthology brings together 20 texts which were vital in forging the United States and its constitution as we know it.Since the founding of the republic, great thinkers and politicians have set out their visions for America through formal documents, impassioned speeches and momentous treaties. This collection includes some of the most important works that helped define the country that America was to become.Politicians like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton helped define the founding values of the United States of America. Their bold and revolutionary ideas did not come about unopposed, and they found themselves called upon to explain their reasoning to the wider public. The words of these incredible individuals ring just as true today as when they were first made and provided a firm foundation for the country that is the America we know and love today.This volume features documents such as:
The Declaration of IndependenceBenjamin Franklin's Final Speech to the Constitutional ConventionThe Constitution and the AmendmentsThe Federalist PapersPresident George Washington's Farewell AddressThe Emancipation Proclamation