The sources and documents presented in this book reflect the ideological revolution in America, encompassing the growth of independent sentiment in the colonies, the break with the mother country, and the establishment of a federal government by the states. All the essential documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Federal Constitution are included here, as are the more important acts, resolves, state constitutions, and royal instructions not easily obtainable elsewhere. The popular feeling that found its eventual expression in the great comprehensive documents of the Revolution is recreated through selections from debates, letters, and pamphlets. Altogether, these sources and documents bring into sharp focus the taxation question, the Western problem (proceedings of an Indian congress and frontier petitions are included), the War of Independence, and the formation of state and federal constitutions (including debates over slavery and the centralization of government).
