Federal Publications: 250th Anniversary of the United States

In celebration of this month’s 250th anniversary of the United States, the South Carolina State Library’s Federal Documents Collection highlights numerous works that feature the history of the U.S. Constitution and related works about the founding of our nation and the development of government during those early years.
July’s display features historical and current publications: 

  • History of the Formation of the Union under the Constitution with Liberty Documents and Report of the United States Constitution Commission (1941)
  • Documents Illustrative of the Formation of the Union of the American States (1927)
  • The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to 2002 (2004)
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1789-1897 (1917)
  • The Emerging Nation: A Documentary History of the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1780-1789
  • Signers of the Constitution: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Constitution (1976)
  • The Declaration of Independence: Illustrated Story of its Adoption, with the Biographies and Portraits of the Signers and of the Secretary of the Congress (1904)
  • Signers of the Declaration: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Declaration of Independence (1973)

Visit the South Carolina State Library to view these featured federal publications and explore additional resources related to the U.S. Constitution as part of the ongoing America 250 and SC250 celebrations.
 

Federal Documents

Cover of History of the Formation of the Union under the Constitution with Liberty Documents and Report of the United States Constitution Commission (1941).

History of the Formation of the Union under the Constitution with Liberty Documents and Report of the United States Constitution Commission (1941)

This is a comprehensive document detailing the process of drafting the United States Constitution. It includes a detailed account of the Constitution's formation, the liberty documents, and the Commission's report. The document is authored by Sol Bloom, the director general of the United States Constitution Sesquicentennial Commission. It serves as a valuable resource for understanding the historical context and significance of the Constitution.

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CXover of The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and interpretation; annotations of cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 30, 1952.

The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and interpretation; annotations of cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 30, 1952

The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation, edited by Edward Corwin, is a comprehensive resource that offers an in-depth analysis and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, along with annotations of Supreme Court cases decided through June 30, 1952. This edition is a valuable tool for understanding the Constitution's principles and applications in various legal contexts.

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Cover of Documents Illustrative of the Formation of the Union of the American States (1927).

Documents Illustrative of the Formation of the Union of the American States (1927)

This publication is a collection of documents on the origins and development of our constitutional history, intended to present, under one cover, the most significant documents related to the formation of the American federal states. Published by the Government of the United States by the United States House of Representatives in 1927, its contents were selected, arranged, and indexed by Mr. Charles C. Tansill, Director of Legislative Reference Services at the Library of Congress at that time.

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Cover of The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation: Analysis of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 28, 2002.

The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation: Analysis of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 28, 2002

This is an annotated edition of the Constitution that includes annotations of decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States through 2002. It has been revised and updated every 10 to 14 years by the United States Congress since its first publication in 1913.

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Cover of A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1789-1897.

A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1789-1897

An eleven-volume series comprised of special messages, proclamations, and inaugural speeches from several U.S. Presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, and others. Controversy surrounding this work led to the prohibition on copyrights of works of the federal government in 1895.

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Cover of The Framing of the Federal Constitution.

The Framing of the Federal Constitution

This work, written by historian Richard B. Morris, was published by the National Park Service. It describes the American system of government and how it springs from the work of 55 delegates who met in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 to write the Federal Constitution. This handbook depicts the men, the setting, the events, the finished work, and the struggle for ratification of the great document, the United States Constitution. 

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Cover of Signers of the Constitution: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Constitution.

Signers of the Constitution: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Constitution

This publication offers a comprehensive overview of the historic places commemorating the signing of the Constitution. It includes a survey of historic sites related to its drafting and signing, along with historical background information, biographical profiles, and a survey of historic sites and buildings. This resource is particularly useful for those interested in the history of the United States and the Constitution. 

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Cover of Signers of the Declaration: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Signers of the Declaration: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

This publication describes the historical background of the Declaration of Independence, offers biographical sketches of its signers, and surveys historic sites and buildings associated with them.

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Cover of The Declaration of Independence: Illustrated Story of its Adoption, with the Biographies and Portraits of the Signers and of the Secretary of the Congress.

The Declaration of Independence: Illustrated Story of its Adoption, with the Biographies and Portraits of the Signers and of the Secretary of the Congress

This volume was prepared primarily as an aid to those in charge of a 1904 Department of State exhibit at expositions, to explain the part of the exhibit relating to the Declaration of Independence. It provides an illustrated history of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, including biographies and portraits of the signers, as well as copies of related documents.

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Cover of The Citizen's Almanac: Fundamental Documents, Symbols, and Anthems of the United States.

The Citizen's Almanac: Fundamental Documents, Symbols, and Anthems of the United States.

The Citizen's Almanac, a collection of America's most cherished symbols of freedom and liberty, serves as a modern-day lifeline to our rich civic history. From historic speeches to landmark Supreme Court decisions, The Citizen's Almanac offers a fascinating look into the fundamental civic values that have helped shape the country we know today. 

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Upcoming Event

Photo of Eric Barnes and a cover of a Historyman comic.

Speaker at the Center Series: Historyman Comics author, Eric K. Barnes, discusses "An Army of a Different Kind"

August 27, 2026, 6:00 PM

Please join us for our next Speaker at the Center talk with Historyman, Eric Barnes, who is on the trail of our American history through a number of projects, including the Historyman Podcast, Historyman blog, and Historyman Comics. These projects seek to illustrate and educate future generations about the challenges of the past, the hard-fought victories, and the visionary hopes of those who went before us.

This Week