Declaration of Independence-The slaveholding, aristocratic, Thomas Jefferson drafted The Declaration and substituted the 'unalienable Rights of Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness' for John Locke's;  a 17th century philosopher and proponent of natural rights theory; 'life, liberty, and property'.  This laid the foundation for a Constitutional rift, because it didn't reaffirm property rights in slaves, which eventually ruptured the Union into civil war.  Jefferson also introduced human rights with the phtases 'all men are crteated equal' and 'they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights' and 'among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness'. July 4, 1776, Congress issued The Declaration of Independence, which condemned British tyranny and proposed a union of states.

 

 

 Articles of Confederation -The legal entity of The

United States was created under The Articles, the 1st

Constitution of The United States and in

March 1781, it took effect.

 

 

 The United States Constitution-Concessions to the

slaveholding South including the continuance of the

slave trade, a fugitive slave clause, and slaves counted

as three-fifths of a person for proportional

representation eventually shattered The United States

and caused The Civil War. Delegates signed The

Constitution on September 17, 1787, and it was

ratified on June 21. 1788. 

 

 

 The Bill of Rights- James Madison, a slaveholding

aristocrat, introduced a bill of rights  in Congress on

May 4, 1789.  The states ratified 10 amendments to The

Constitution on December 15, 1791, and The Bill of

Rights became part of the Constitutional compact. 

Madison is known as The Father of The Bill of Rights.