American Documents Packet contains four laminated sheets of cardstock with the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, a simplified version of the Bill of Rights, The American's Creed, the Preamble to the Constitution, and the First Amendment to the Constitution. These last three are all printed on one laminated sheet. 

These documents are printed in black on beige parchment-style cardstock, and all include black illustrations appropriate to the documents. For example, there is a drawing of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on that particular document. It should be noted that this is only part of the Declaration of Independence, up to "and to provide new guards for their future security." 

The laminating is coming off of my copy of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. However, the company will supply or replace any missing or damaged contents. There is a form in the packet to aid in going through this process. 

Also included is a two-sided piece of paper with an annotated book and tape list. The other side, entitled "Something to Think About," urges citizens to be aware of their rights by reading and studying them. 

What does one do with the American Documents Packet? Students can insert the sheets into a notebook for learning, or they can be framed and hung up. A great addition to this product would be the inclusion of some memorization tips or games. How about specific ideas on how to incorporate these documents into a unit study? 

I think having nicely printed, individual notebook-size copies of these documents would be a big help in studying and memorizing them. Consider these from Bealls' Learning Games when you are studying early American history.

Product review by Kathy Gelzer, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March 2010