The 13 Required Foundational Documents

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The Declaration of Independence

Sets forth natural rights, popular sovereignty, and the justification for breaking away from tyrannical rule.

The Articles of Confederation

The first, weak US constitution; emphasizes state sovereignty and a limited central government.

The United States Constitution (including the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments)

Establishes the structure, functions, and limitations of the federal government.

Federalist No. 10

Written by James Madison; argues that a large, diverse republic is the best defense against the "violence of faction."

Brutus No. 1

An Anti-Feredalist paper arguing that a free republic cannot safely span a large nation and that the federal power will overpower states.

Federalist No. 39 (New for 2026–27)

Written by James Madison; defines a republican form of government and balances national and federal state power.

Federalist No. 51

Written by James Madison; explains how separation of powers and checks and balances control the abuses of majority factions and government power.

Federalist No. 70

Written by Alexander Hamilton; argues for a single, "energetic" executive branch president.

Federalist No. 78

Written by Alexander Hamilton; outlines the importance of an independent judicial branch and life tenure.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Written by Martin Luther King Jr.; defends nonviolent resistance and the urgency of the civil rights movement.

The Emancipation Proclamation (New for 2026–27)

Abraham Lincoln's executive order shifting the focus of the Civil War toward the abolition of slavery.