Each of the Articles of the Constitution are described in full detail with simplified summaries of each of the sections together with the full, original text.

The original Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between thirteen states, created in 1777 and ratified in 1781. It preceded the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

This resource from Khan Academy provides a study resource about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, Shay's Rebellion, and the needed call for a new Constitution. These questions are intended for students taking high school...

See transcripts of the debates of the Federal Convention of 1787, the draft of the Constitution, or see the facsimiles of the original documents. Trace the progress of the Constitution using the historical documents themselves.

Here you will find background information concerning the Articles of Confederation. Underneath the photo of the document, click on each page to view the original document.

This resource from Khan Academy provides practice questions over the ratification of the US Constitution. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses, including the...

A game where the player must sort items into whether they belong in the body of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Amendments, the Articles, or not at all. There are two rounds to the game.

This site from the United States Senate provides information about the evolution of the Senate as the Constitution was being written by the Constitutional Congress.

Primary source document of the Articles of Confederation with explanatory text and photograph of the Assembly Room at the Pennsylvania State House

Discusses the origin of Constitution Day and the history of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Lists descriptions of the seven articles and twenty-seven amendments in the Constitution. Presents lesson suggestions from teachers and...

These step-by-step lesson plans help students understand the historical background to the U.S. Constitution. Students simulate a hypothetical situation where they must create their own rules and figure out how to work together. Links to...

Explains why the Articles of Confederation were not strong enough to hold the country together. One result was a farmers' rebellion in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays, which was precipitated by a debt crisis that caused many farmers to...

Article describes how the written constitutions adopted by each of the 13 colonies were the seeds of the U.S. Constitution including the Bill of Rights. Includes questions for discussion and small group activity.

This article contains information about the principles used to create the Constitution of the United States.

The sources in this primary set document the creation of the US Constitution. Includes teaching guide.

Gives a nice history of the Articles and also a summary of what they were and the problems that developed with their adoption. Includes links to the actual document.

The University of Chicago provides a letter from Richard Henry Lee to George Mason in which Lee describes the financial problems the Confederation has run into and suggests minor reforms be made.

The original text of a letter from Alexander Hamilton to Governor George Clinton of New York in 1778 complaining of inadequate material for the U.S. armed forces and perception of weakness by foreign powers.

This site from the Modern History Sourcebook of Fordham University comprises a series of articles from the New York Times detailing the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in Congress and the battle to get the...

A brief article on the efforts of Charles Pinckney along with others to amend The Articles of Confederation. Includes links to original text of unsuccessful amendments to The Articles of Confederation

This is the 3rd section of a PDF entitled Congress Creates the Bill of Rights. This section focuses on the articles debated in Congress that eventually formed the Bill of Rights. Background on each article is given as well as a picture...

This article contains the history, meaning, and words to the Preamble to the Constitution which encompassed the reasons why the thirteen original colonies separated from Great Britain to become an independent nation.

[Free Registration/Login Required] This website documents the United States through its struggles to become a new nation. Site includes primary source documents for the Articles of Confederation, US Constitutional Convention, and George...

The creation and growth of the new nation of the United States is the focus of this article. Being divided into time periods makes this site easy to understand.