These three documents, known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, have secured the rights of the American people for more than two and a quarter centuries and are considered instrumental to its founding and philosophy of the United States.
Declaration of Independence
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The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain.
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Constitution
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The Constitution defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
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Bill of Rights
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The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. It defines citizens’ and states’ rights in relation to the Government.
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The Charters of Freedom
The Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights, collectively known as the Charters of Freedom, have guaranteed the rights and freedoms of Americans for over 200 years. The spectacular new book The Charters of Freedom-"A New World Is At Hand" written by Alice Kamps, Curator at the National Archives, showcases the National Archives' renovated Rotunda, the newly re-encased Charters of Freedom, and the exhibition that flanks their permanent display. The book describes the dramatic events that culminated in these historic documents, the materials and techniques used in their creation and conservation, and their adventures on the road to a permanent safe haven at the National Archives.
The Charters of Freedom Bundle Facsimiles
These elegant facsimiles on parchment paper of the Charters of Freedom: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, are all three here offered to you in one bundle. These historic facsimiles are perfect for educational purposes or to decorate your home or office. Please note: The Constitution facsimile in this bundle has all four pages of the original document on one sheet. The original Charters of Freedom are on permanent display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.
Visit the Charters of Freedom
The Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom
Located on the upper level of the National Archives museum, is the permanent home of the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Bill of Rights.
Designed by architect John Russell Pope as a shrine to American democracy, the ornate Rotunda with its soaring domed ceiling also features two murals by Barry Faulkner, depicting fictional scenes of the “presentations” of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.