The American Constitution{the bill of rights}

Essay by sydne_ashJunior High, 8th gradeA+, February 2003

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The American Constitution

In this paper I have chosen three historical documents

that have played a role in defining significant issues in American

history. The three articles are: The Declaration of Independence,

written July 4th, 1776 by Thomas Jefferson, The Bill of Rights,

December 15, 1791, and The Civil Rights Act passed on July 2,

1964. I will attempt to define the issues portrayed in each

document and whether or not the understanding of the issue

remains the same today or has changed.

The Declaration of Independence was originally

drafted by Thomas Jefferson and officially adopted on July 4,

1976. The issue at hand was the desire of the American colonies

to obtain independence from the British Empire. In this

document, the thirteen colonies established the desires of equality,

life, liberty and happiness. They believed the only way to do so

was by separating themselves from the King. Once the

Revolutionary War ended, the newly freed colonists could do

whatever they wanted.

This gave way to the organization of a

new government.

The government that was created continued to develop

into the government that we have today. The Declaration of

Independence created a basis in which the American government

is founded. Without this declaration, the United States would not

exist as it does today. This document started a movement

towards independence and other countries around the world got

ideas from this. I believe that this document till to this day

expresses the ideas in the hearts and minds of the American

people. Thomas Jefferson outlined four universal truths that the

colonists and American people have in common: equality, life,

liberty and happiness.

The next document to be discussed is The Bill of

Rights. The Bill of Rights came about due to pressures to amend

the constitution in order to define...