We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Restrictions:
Access to physical copy/copies by appointment only. Please contact Boston Public Library Rare Books and Manuscripts Department for further information.
Publisher:
[New York] :
[Printed by John McLean for John Dunlap]
Official edition of the United States Constitution printed in New York by John McLean for John Dunlap and sent by Congress to the states for ratification.
Title from first line of text.
Place of imprint, printer, publisher, and date from Rapport, Leonard. "Printing the constitution: the convention and newspaper imprints, August-November 1787." Prologue (vol. 2, no. 2: fall, 1970) p. 69-90. See also: Library of Congress. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 (Washington, D.C: GPO, 1936) vol. 23, p. 760, no. 593.
Evans ascribes printing to Dunlap and Claypoole.
Notes (date):
This date is inferred.
Notes (citation):
English short title catalogue, W13932
Evans, C. American bibliography, 20817
Notes (object):
Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) copy separated into individual leaves. A portion of the lower left margin of each leaf is excised, with no losses to text. An inscription in the hand of John Quincy Adams at the head of page 1 reads: "An original copy of the Constitution of the United States, attested by Charles Thomson secretary to the Confederation Congress. Issued 28 September, 1787." This copy is signed by Thomson on page 4 and is believed to have belonged to President John Adams. It was donated to the BPL by Charles Francis Adams (1835-1915). Housed in a tan portfolio.
IIIF Manifest