The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States

by Jon Meacham (Introduction)

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jon Meacham introduces America's essential founding documents in an elegant, readable, and timeless volume.

In the winter of 1860–1861, facing the prospect of secession and civil war, President Abraham Lincoln held fast to the founding promise of the now-imperiled United States of America. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution had forged the nation, and Lincoln intended to defend them. But even more importantly, Lincoln saw “something back of these, entwining itself more closely about the human heart. That something is the principle of ‘Liberty to all.’”

That principle remains as vital today as it has been throughout the first 250 years of our nation’s history. Presented here with an introduction by bestselling American historian and biographer Jon Meacham, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America are both timeless and timely, offering a window into the complex poltical world of the nation's founders—and important lessons for our own. As Meacham writes, “If America is to be America, the foundational documents reprinted here must be not theoretical but tactile, not quaint but vivid, not dead but alive.”

Genres: History

78 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2025

About the author

Jon Ellis Meacham is an American writer, reviewer, historian and presidential biographer who is serving as the Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral since November 7, 2021. A former executive editor and executive vice president at Random House, he is a contributing writer to The New York Times Book Review, a contributing editor to Time magazine, and a former editor-in-chief of Newsweek. He is the author of several books. He won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. He holds the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Endowed Chair in American Presidency at Vanderbilt University.

Reviews

[Kimberlee Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to Basics

In these divided times I find myself referring to our primary American documents regularly. Several times I have printed them out and then lost them in the blizzard of paper in my office. Now when I exclaim to my husband, “That’s unconstitutional!” I can refer to this book to back up my intuition. And when making posters for marches, the Declaration is full of inspiring phrases from Jefferson’s pen that remind us of what Americans have been fighting for these last 250 years.

I thank one of my very favorite historians (Sorry, Doris!) for putting out this new format of our American foundational ideas. We need to keep them near us for inspiration and for reassurance. I was inspired by the Forward John wrote. There have been many points in our history when events of the day challenged our core American values. When we went back to our American bedrock, when we acted on these key ideals, these words, we brought ourselves back to center.

Read this book for reminders. Read it for reassurance. Read it to remember that no matter an individual’s point of view, whether he opposes our own, together we are We the People… To form a more perfect union we must talk out our problems, not scream out epithets of blame or hate. It is time to heal our rifts while we still can.

This is a book for every personal library, whether in hard copy or digital. But it shouldn’t just be left on the shelf, literal or figurative. It must be read, considered, and discussed.

For too long, Americans have run on momentum. We have to go back to our founding American concepts to discover what makes our government so unique. That is the only way we can get it back in working order again, with every branch doing its job. That’s the only way we will be great again…though with these documents at our foundation, our ideals were always great. Now we can put them back into practice as a people and as a government.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two documents are so interesting. They are a combination of the inspired and mundane. But I guess, that is what America is--we have inspiring ideals of how we strive to live in community with one another and with the world, and we can live out that inspiriation by agreeing to mundane rules of law that allow for the inspiration to flourish.
I particularly like that this version had original text included, but was grayed out and accompanied by a footnote to reflect that the provision had been amended and make note of that ammendment. Which brings me to another amazing point about the Constitution. Our Founding Fathers weren't so arrogant to think they had all of the answers and build in a process to recognize growth and change. I hope our democracy can continue to respect the Constitution and engage in the process to amend it when those changes are needed. (I can think of a couple of things I'd like amended right now...)

[Michael K · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALWAYS read Jon Meacham in whatever context you can

Jon Meacham is a must read or hear at any and/ or every opportunity you can. You'll never be disappointed and will learn every single time. And, during this apparent end of the nation formerly called the United States of America, it's a good idea to reread these two marvels of human thought - even if it's to see what we're losing by this kakistocracy/ kleptocracy of a government we've got right now. History will not be kind to those who've let and allowed this American experiment end. At least I hope those like our conman felon and his party of stooges, will be written in the terms that equate them with mankind's worst examples of us, because they truly are.

[Dick Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's be honest - everyone in the United States should read both of these documents regularly.