Sources & Resources — The Dissections...
...necessary for proper comprehension
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The Dissections
Simplify Comprehending Government
By design
This page changed with the
August 30, 2025 edit.
What the documents meant to the signing generation
and what they intended to accomplish
Each link below takes you to the dissection (or annotation, if you prefer) of the united States of America's most important documents, —right from the Beginning at 1776.
Locke and de Vattel present the generally accepted views about government; right up until 1776 —when all that changed with The unanimous Declaration of the united States of America; especially with respect to the sovereign authority over government.
To know the meaning of the words used by a given generation, the correct instruments are those dictionaries in publication, available for common use, just a few years prior to the writing and signing of that document, law, etc. being studied.
The 1756 and the 1785 Dictionaries of the English Language by Samuel Johnson cover The Declaration..., The Articles..., The Treaty..., as well as the main body of and the first ten amendments of The Constitution.... These and other dictionaries are available for PDF down load at Older Dictionaries
Why Samuel Johnson and not Noah Webster?
Because Webster's first and second editions respectively were published about 1806 and 1826; some 20 to 50 years after the signing of several of the earliest documents.
Using dictionaries published too distant; either before or after the signing dates of the documents tend to discredit a research —because definitions change over time. It is better to error on the side of the older dictionaries than the newer; as the older definitions were most likely known by the signing generations. Thus the newer definitions, unknown at the signing, unethically amend the content-meaning; which often becomes what the people of later generations errantly use to modernize or manipulate the signing generation's intent.
Under dissection
John Locke - Second Treatise of Government - 1690
John Locke's work gained wide acceptance by the beginning of the 1700's. Many of the Declaration signers are said to have studied Locke's work.
The primary focus is to establish how the 1776 generation most likely viewed government.
Emer de Vattel - The Law of Nations - 1758
Emer de Vattel's work on The Law of Nations was already popular in the colonies before The Declaration was signed in 1776.
The primary focus is to establish how the 1776 generation most likely viewed government.
The unanimous Declaration of the united States of America - 1776
Supposedly, there had been several other such declarations sent to the British Crown; but were not successfully defended.
This, apparently the last one sent; also, evidenced by the 1783 treaty, was successfully defended.
This, is the contract that created the nation; —the union of states on the American continent: Thus, the united States of America[sic].
The Articles of Confederation - 1777
Apparently, it is not too difficult to draft an entire constitution. They did this one, theoretically, between 1776 & 1777.
After 258 years since 1776; this generation should have learned many lessons about writing constitutions; what must be removed, what must be added, and what just needs a little adjustment. Perhaps, it is even time for another total re-write.
The Definitive Treaty of Peace - 1783
One of the most important elements of this Treaty is that Great Britain does not grant to the colonies their freedom, independence, or sovereignty. Great Britain acknowledges that the united States of America are free, sovereign, and independent states.
Big difference.
The Constitution of the United States of America - 1790
It had only been 17 years with the first constitution, The Articles of Confederation. Many of the reasons that are still taught, for and about that change, prove false:
• Congress unable to enforce tax; but granted the power to tax.
• It created a weak government; that was so weak it defeated a global empire at the time.
• It did not have a two-house legislature; an easy amendment to fix it.
• It has some of the best term limits; not carried forward onto the present constitution.
All detailed in this dissection.
The Constitution of the Confederate States of America - 1861
Simply reading this constitution shows how messed up the nation's education system has become. Details in this dissection page.