Primary Sources
Founding Documents
The charters of American self-government — federal, state, and territorial. From the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to the constitutions of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the territories.
United States
States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Territories
Growth of the Union
When each jurisdiction entered the United States — the original 13 by ratifying the Constitution (1787–1790), later states by admission, and the territories and D.C. by cession or organic act. Hover a marker for its year; click to open its founding document.
Original 13Admitted stateTerritoryDistrict (D.C.)