Constitution Day

One enduring image from the signing of the Constitution is a painting by Howard Chandler Christy. This site offers an interactive look at the painting and information about its subjects.

From Yale's Avalon Project, a collection of primary documents that influenced the U.S. Constitution, also with the text of the Constitution, the ratifying documents, and the Federalist Papers.

"Items include extracts of the journals of Congress, resolutions, proclamations, committee reports, treaties, and early printed versions of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence." From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.

The Library of Congress provides this guide to digital resources related to the personal papers and/or publications of the major founders of the American Republic—that is, those men who served in roles of national political leadership between 1765 and 1815—and members of their families. Some official compilations of government documents are included for prominent founders.

From the National Archives: "Correspondence and Other Writings of Six Major Shapers of the United States: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams (and family), Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. Over 119,000 searchable documents, fully annotated, from the authoritative Founding Fathers Papers projects."

This site details the Constitutional Convention with a daily timeline of events, major themes, Madison's Notes of Debates, and more.

From the National Archives: information on the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence with additional information on the Founding Fathers and the Signers of the Declaration.

Downloadable images of the Constitution, a transcript, and links to more information.

From the Law Library of Congress, full text links to for the Constitution, Spanish translation, and constitutional interpretation on: executive privilege, military tribunals, national security, whistleblowers, presidential inherent powers, presidential signing statements, second amendment, state secrets privilege, war initiation, war powers, and war powers resolution.

The full text of many founding documents including the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. Secondary interpretation of the documents is also available.

Full text of the Federalist Papers. These 85 papers were written to advocate ratification of the Constitution and explain its meaning. Written anonymously, they are now known to have been written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.