Included here are a few of the documents, writings, and communications that influenced and guided the principles behind the Constitution of the United States. Not all documents originated with the colonists. A number of decrees created in England caused unexpected dissent. Nor are they all official government decrees Many of the communications included here were intended to influence public opinion.

We start with the first official document of governance created on the shores of the Massachusetts, the Mayflower Compact, created in November of 1620.