The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History 1775-1865 (Dover Thrift Editions)

The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History: 1775-1865 edited by John Grafton is an important collection of the heart and soul of what America is all about. These fourteen great documents are the foundation by which our American democratic republic was founded. Each of these documents has a short introduction giving the reader a basis in time, relevent to and providing fascinating background history and information about the author.

This is handy and gets the reader in the right time frame, making this an indispensable reference for general readers to American political writing. This book covers a basic library of important American documents from the first century of America's history as an independent nation.

From Patrick Henry's 1775 speech to the Virginia Revolutionary Committee, "Give Me Liberity or Give Me Death" to Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugral Address in March 4, 1865 we see the tenor of American thought throughout come to the forefront. These are compelling, influential and often inspirational, but most importantly these are certainly among the most essential and enduring, reflecting the ideas, issues and conflicts which dominated American political life in the first century of our fledgling republic.

The contents is listed:
Patrick Henry: "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death," March 23, 1775

Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

The Constitution of the United States, September 17,1787 with amendments

James Madison: The Federalist, number 10, November 23,1787

George Washington: Firt Inaugral Address, April 30, 1789

George Washington: Farewell Address, September 19 1796

Thomas Jefferson: First Inaugral Address, March 4, 1801

James Monroe: The Monroe Doctrine, December 2, 1823

William Lloyd Garrison: The Liberator, January 1, 1831

Andrew Jackson: Veto of the Bank Bill, July 10, 1832

Abraham Lincoln: First Inaugral Address, March 4, 1861

Abraham Lincoln: The Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863

Abraham Lincoln: The Gettysburg Address, November 18, 1863

Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugral Address, March 4, 1865

These all are compelling documents dear to the heart of the United States and should be in those of us who call ourselves citizens as well. This is excellent for teaching our children, revealing a spectrum of thought and opinion more complex and wide ranging than often remembered... and what it means to be an American and the responsiblities that go along with it.

The book is more than i thought it would be. It has some great writing and good background information with it.

One can take two opposing approaches to this kind of volume. One can celebrate the treasures that are in it, or one can lament all the treasures it lacks. I prefer the first approach. For any volume which contains , The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Washington's First Inaugural and Farewell Speeches, Lincoln's First and Second Inaugurals and the Gettysburg Address contains the very heart of America's political thought and creed.
These documents are valuable not only politically, and historically they are also very great Literature.
There is much to be inspired by in the documents that are in this volume .Those seeking more important documents relating to American political life and democracy can find other volumes, whole libraries if they wish.
For what it is, this is just right.

It's small enough to take with you, yet inexpensive enough to buy several. I have a couple so there are copies at home, work and a travel copy. The pages are large enough that it doesn't get lost and the typeface is large and clear enough to make it easy to read. It's a great selection of documents, including the founding documents and those from our presidential giants: Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln.

Whether you are a student or a writer, a historian or a casual observer, this is a great collection to have. It includes many of the most pertinent documents in American history, as well as a myriad of useful speeches, which are all excellent for quoting in essays, term papers, etc. Some of the documents are available only in this book, and it is the best collection I have seen at this price. Overall, a great buy.