About the National Archives Building in Washington, DC The National Archives Building, known informally as Archives I, is the headquarters of the National Archives and Records Administration of the United States. The building houses the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights as well as many other important historical documents. The building Independence Hall is the birthplace of America. The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside this building. The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both signed in this room. The Constitution of the United States was signed at Independence Hall on September 17, 1787. In the 1850s, the Assembly Room became a shrine to the founding of the nation, proudly displaying the Liberty Bell and original paintings of the Founding Fathers. The Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights rest in this shrine to democracy and the American spirit, held in protective cases and guarded by watching eagles. Connected by brick arches — and with its entrance just outside Independence Hall — the West Wing features original 18th-century copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution. The intention was to create a monumental exhibit space for the nation’s most important founding documents, the Chaters of Freedom. In 1933, President Herbert Hoover announced that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution would be exhibited at the National Archives building. Opening the Vault: Declarations of Independence From Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence to the Bicentennial reproductions, these documents highlight the Declaration’s enduring symbol of freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of a more perfect union. 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. Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted by the Founding Fathers. The museum wing of the National Archives, the National Archives Museum is the home of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Located at 701 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20408. Birthplace of Freedom: A Tour of Independence Hall Let this film guide you through the building where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and signed. Duration: 3 minutes, 31 seconds On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in the Assembly Room of Independence Hall to formally adopt the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the 13 American colonies‘ sovereignty from Great Britain. America's Founding Documents High Resolution Downloads These images are in the public domain and no permission is required to use them. Please credit the National Archives as the original source. The Declaration of Independence The semicircular room contains the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The exhibition surrounding the charters highlights the creation and continuing significance of each document. Independence Hall is the birthplace of America. The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside this building. The National Archives building in Washington, D.C. houses some of the United States' most foundational texts, including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence Let this film guide you through the building where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and signed. Inside these stately halls, the Founding Fathers drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Visitors will see the Assembly Room (where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both signed) on the first floor of the building. The 4:20 pm tour is an expanded tour and is not wheelchair accessible. The museum wing of the National Archives, the National Archives Museum is the home of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Located at 701 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20408. Admission is always free.
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