Important Documents

In preparation for the oncoming AP exam, I prepared a list of landmark documents that might be helpful to know:


1776 Declaration of Independence - representatives from the 13 colonies come together to declare their intent to separate from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson writes some of the most memorable lines in American history regarding equality of humanity and inalienable rights.


1791 Bill of Rights - James Madison deals with state government fears of a too-powerful central government with a compromise: a clearly defined set of freedom and protections that are enumerated as the first ten amendments to the Constitutions. Gives large states a list of rights and freedoms on which the government could not infringe.


1803 Louisiana Purchase Treaty - Napoleon sells Louisiana Territory to Thomas Jefferson, which doubles the land mass of the nation. Supports Manifest Destiny and develops nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific.


1863 Emancipation Proclamation - President Abraham Lincoln declares that all slaves held in Confederate territories would be considered free if they were liberated by the Union to the issue of slavery, which prevents European intervention favoring the Confederacy.


1935 Social Security Act - Franklin D. Roosevelt’s three pronged plan of Relief, Recovery, and Reform stabilized the economy until the wartime production during World War II reversed the losses of the Great Depression. The Social Security Act was the plan’s cornerstone. It provided a minimum level of income for the seniors that were devastated by the Depression as well as opened the door for other federal benefits, including Medicare and Medicaid, later in the century.


1944 Servicemen’s Readjustment Act - also known as the GI Bill. Veterans of World War II were able to attend college and enter the middle class at faster rates than their predecessors. Housing allowances caused sharp increase in home ownership, and optimistic economic future led to a baby boom.


1964 Civil Rights Act - Lyndon Johnson took a stand to end segregation with this act. Began the process of eliminating outdq5ted laws and practices in the nation. Also served as a rallying point for political realignment between Republicans and Democrats.


Amendments that were important:
1st - freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition
2nd - right to bear arms
3rd - no quartering of soldiers
4th - no illegal search or seizure
5th - cannot be tried twice for the same crime, right to remain silent, must be paid for property taken for public use
6th - right to a speedy and public trial, right to counsel
7th - right to a trial by jury
8th - prohibits excessive bail amounts and cruel and unusual punishment
9th - protects rights not listed in the Bill of Rights
10th - powers not given to the federal government are left to the state
13th - abolishes slavery
14th - all persons born within the US are entitled to equal rights and rights that are protected by due process
15th - all male citizens have the right to vote (extends voting rights to African American males)
16th - federal government can collect income tax
18th - prohibited manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages
19th - no citizen will be denied the right to vote based on gender
21st - repealed 18th amendment
24th - abolished poll tax
26th - lowers voting age from 21 to 18


Of course, there are more historical documents to know beyond those listed above. For landmark court cases, refer to my previous blog post.