Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence between June 11 and June 28 of 1776.
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More information on: Delegates to the Constitutional Convention - The Work Begins - Writing the Constitution - The Great Compromise - Signing the Constitution
Charters of Freedom - The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights
Colonial Hall now contains 103 biographical sketches of America's founding fathers. At this time we have divided them up into 3 groups:
Signers of the Declaration
Signers of the Articles of Confederation
Signers of the U. S. Constitution
| Massachusetts John Hancock Samuel Adams John Adams Robert Treat Paine Elbridge Gerry New Hampshire Josiah Bartlett William Whipple Matthew Thornton Rhode Island Stephen Hopkins William Ellery |
Connecticut Roger Sherman Samuel Huntington William Williams Oliver Wolcott New York William Floyd Philip Livingston Francis Lewis Lewis Morris New Jersey Richard Stockton John Witherspoon Francis Hopkinson John Hart Abraham Clark |
Pennsylvania Robert Morris Benjamin Rush Benjamin Franklin John Morton George Clymer James Smith George Taylor James Wilson George Ross Delaware Caesar Rodney George Read Thomas M' Kean |
Maryland Samuel Chase William Paca Thomas Stone Charles Carrol Virginia George Wythe Richard Henry Lee Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Harrison Thomas Nelson, Jr. Francis Lightfoot Lee Carter Braxton |
North Carolina William Hooper Joseph Hewes John Penn South Carolina Edward Rutledge Thomas Heyward Thomas Lynch Arthur Middleton Georgia Button Gwinnett Lyman Hall George Walton |
James Madison wrote the Bill of Rights in response to concerns that the U.S. Constitution didn't properly protect the rights of individuals. This document became the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
Rights of Citizens:
The Bill of Rights
When the Constitution was ratified in 1789, many people were concerned that it did not protect certain freedoms. They thought that the Constitution should be changed or amended to protect these freedoms. On December 15, 1791, ten amendments were added to the Constitution. These amendments guarantee certain freedoms and rights, so they are known as the Bill of Rights.
Some of the freedoms and rights protected in the Bill of Rights include:
BILL OF RIGHTS INFOGRAPHIC (click)
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Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by 
The Constitution of the United States by 
If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution by 
The Bill of Rights by 
The Declaration of Independence in Translation by 
The Constitution by 
The Constitution by 
A More Perfect Union by 