Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The American Constitution
    The American Constitution
    The American Constitution
    Ebook140 pages1 hour

    The American Constitution

    By Ronald N. Goulden, MBA, PMP

    3.5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This may well be the most important 85 pages you will ever read.
    The book is written on the simple premise that the men who wrote this document (along with the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, which together are the definitive founding documents of our country and the Rule of Law in America) were highly intelligent and experienced Statesmen who had lived under the yoke of tyranny under King George III. The distinction here is that they were Statesmen, not politicians. The words they wrote were well-considered and reviewed in order to ensure they communicated the intent of the founders.
    They wrote these documents not obfuscate and confuse, but to share and enlighten.
    Using less than 5000 words, the founders created a nation, conceived in liberty and the belief that all men are created equal, that they were endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.
    In a time when our leaders are men and women skilled in confusing and avoiding simple facts, it is prudent to have a simple interpretation of the foundational documents of our nation; The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and the Amendments to the Constitution.
    I've also included other important, but often misunderstood documents, such as The Gettysburg Address and The Emancipation Proclamation.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRonald N. Goulden, MBA, PMP
    Release dateJan 12, 2013
    ISBN9781301224234
    The American Constitution
    Author

    Ronald N. Goulden, MBA, PMP

    Ronald Goulden has written novels and stories for thirty years. Having served in Viet Nam as a Translator/Interpreter, He quickly adapts to new cultures and sees a story or an adventure everywhere. He has ‘dabbled’ in witchcraft, though he is not a witch. All of his novels and stories have interconnecting threads that link them into a larger universe, spanning space and time. Some of the links are obvious, while others are very subtle. Some of the events in the stories are based on real life, while others are pure fiction. The distinction between fact and fiction is up to the reader. Having studied witchcraft many years earlier, it had always been in my mind. When I became an IT Director for the Farm Credit bank system in Wichita, I observed the ‘power’ a small group of ladies expressed over others in the bank and their general disdain for many of the men. I had also researched the BTK Killer during his spree and developed a program that allowed me to ‘predict’ his next attacks. As such, I saw the potential for violence in anyone. After being treated rather rudely by the band of bank beauties, I decided to write a story to explain their odd and overbearing personalities. Using newspaper stories and personal experiences, I settled on baby sacrifices and Satanism. While the personalities and physical attributes are based upon real people I knew at the time, their involvement is this story is purely fiction. There are many ‘links’ in this story to the other novels I’ve written over time, essentially building an alternate universe.

    Read more from Ronald N. Goulden, Mba, Pmp

    Related to The American Constitution

    Related ebooks

    Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies) History For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    Related categories

    Reviews for The American Constitution

    3.5/5

    2 ratings1 review

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      This book is more about the authors opinion than the actual constitution.

    Book preview

    The American Constitution - Ronald N. Goulden, MBA, PMP

    The American Constitution

    An Interpretative Analysis of the Foundational Documents of the United States by an American Citizen

    Copyright © 2013

    Ronald N. Goulden, MBA, PMP

    Smashwords Edition

    Thank you for downloading this eBook; it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

    Table of Contents

    Introduction

    Declaration of Independence

    Preamble to Constitution

    The Constitution of the United States

    Article I

    Article II

    Article III

    Article IV

    Article V

    Article VI

    Article VII

    The Bill of Rights

    Amendment 1

    Amendment 2

    Amendment 3

    Amendment 4

    Amendment 5

    Amendment 6

    Amendment 7

    Amendment 8

    Amendment 9

    Amendment 10

    Amendments to the Constitution

    Amendment XI

    Amendment XII

    Amendment XIII

    Amendment XIV

    Amendment XV

    Amendment XVI

    Amendment XVII

    Amendment XVIII

    Amendment XIX

    Amendment XX

    Amendment XXI

    Amendment XXII

    Amendment XXIII

    Amendment XXIV

    Amendment XXV

    Amendment XXVI

    Amendment XXVII

    The Gettysburg Address

    Summary

    Emancipation Proclamation

    References

    Additional works by Ronald N. Goulden

    Introduction

    I am not an attorney, nor am I a ‘Constitutional Scholar’. I am merely an American citizen with a moderate level of education and a wealth of real-world experience.

    I have listened with dismay over the past several years as elected Senators and Representatives proudly declare that they have either never read the Constitution or freely admit that they do not understand it.

    The advantage I have over most politicians and many lawyers is that I have actually read these foundational documents.

    The book is written on the simple premise that the men who wrote this document (along with the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, which together are the definitive founding documents of our country and the Rule of Law in America) were highly intelligent and experienced Statesmen who had endured the yoke of tyranny under King George III. The distinction here is that they were Statesmen, not politicians. The words they wrote were well-considered and peer reviewed in order to ensure they communicated the intent of the founders.

    In an era where even simple bills exceed hundreds of pages, take note that the Constitution in its entirety is less than 5000 words, barely the length of a moderate-sized short story; yet many of our current politicians have never bothered to read this document. The founders built a nation in 5000 words or less.

    The formatting of this book will be quite simple. The original document text is provided in bold, since I consider those words far more important than my simple interpretations. In most cases, I did not correct the original spelling or grammar. In some instances, I did underline phrases that I felt could use further explanation or reinforcement. That underlining does not imply any particular importance, other than in my opinion.

    I use he/him/his in a non-gender context strictly for readability. Any place these pronouns appear in my text, be advised the intent is that she/her/hers is equally synonymous.

    Again, the interpretations noted in this book are my own, and are not based on any legal background, political experience, or credentials as a "Constitutional Scholar’. These interpretations are merely the observations of a simple American citizen and war veteran.

    Under no circumstances should this book be taken or construed as legal advice.

    The review will proceed in what I perceive as a logical ordering: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and the Subsequent Amendments (11 thru 27).

    I believe that these documents were written to be understood by common people with a moderate level of education. They were not written to be confusing, obscure, or arcane; hence their brevity. They were written to be understood by the people, not to be tortured and twisted by a devious politician or attorney, to be used against the people.

    The few short pages of this book may very well be the most important pages you will ever read.

    Declaration of Independence

    The original spelling and capitalization have been retained.

    (Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776)

    The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America

    The Declaration of Independence officially outlines the grievances the American Colonies had against the reign of King George III, which in and of itself makes this an extremely important and valuable document.

    Reading through the Declaration, one can get a sense for why some of the provisions of the Constitution were included and why the founders treated the Bill of Rights as a separate document.

    (In some cases, I note parallels between our current government and the offenses of King George III.)

    When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

    This paragraph is simply the introduction, telling King George III the intent of the document. It is often highly (partially) quoted.

    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. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable,

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1