Encounter the original founding documents of the United States in the National Archives Rotunda, the permanent home of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Bill of Rights. These three documents, known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, have been instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States.
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, announces a complete break with Britain and expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
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Constitution
The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. These four large sheets of parchment define the framework and powers of the Federal Government. Written in 1787, the Constitution established an ingenious practical system of government that derives its power from “We the People of the United States” and promotes the welfare of all its citizens.
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Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights protects freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly, among many other rights. The document on permanent display in the Rotunda is the enrolled original Joint Resolution passed by Congress in 1789, proposing 12 amendments to the Constitution. The 10 that were ratified became known as the Bill of Rights.
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Faulkner Murals
The Faulkner Murals gracing the curved walls of the Rotunda were painted by artist Barry Faulkner in 1935–36 and depict fictional scenes of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. They are among the largest single-piece oil-on-canvas murals in the United States, with each being about the size of a city bus (14 feet by 37.5 feet).