Historical Documents
The Declaration of Independence and Constitutional Interpretation
By James P. Allen What role does the Declaration have in constitutional interpretation, if any? When it comes to understanding the meaning of the Constitution, many Americans don’t give the Declaration of Independence the first thought. But some argue that as...
George Washington on Political vs Commercial Relations with Foreign Nations
As the military leader of the American Revolution and the country’s first president, Washington is a highly revered figure. His Farewell Address from the office of the President is a timely reminder of a tradition of a non-interventionist American foreign policy which...James Monroe writes to Thomas Jefferson on State vs Federal Governments
Written May 4, 1801 The Writings of James Monroe. Edited by Stanislaus Murray Hamilton. 7 vols. New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1898–1903. There is a subject to which I wish to engage yr. particular attention. Before I came into this office I was...
James Madison: Constitution’s Original Meaning Comes From the People
NOTE: In this letter to Thomas Ritchie on September 15, 1821, James Madison explains how to find the original meaning of the words in the Constitution. That is, through the understanding of those who gave it legal force in their respective state conventions. As a...