About

Founding Made Plain presents founding-era documents — every word, clause by clause.

The editions preserve the original wording and punctuation. Line breaks, indentation, and spacing are added only for readability.

FMP is a reading edition. Words and punctuation follow the official source named on each page. Line breaks and indentation are added for readability and are not part of that source. This presentation is not a substitute for the official text. If you find an error write admin@foundingmadeplain.org.

On this site we see the verbatim texts
presented with strategic white space,
slowing the text down,
providing comfortable anchors,
and focusing our mind’s eye.

We absorb it better this way.
Reference numbers help.

How quotations work

When you have lines you want to quote, drag to highlight them. Tap Copy with citation on the popup bar. That copies the lines to the clipboard, with the cite before and the URL after:

FMP 1787 Constitution:1-3 “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union,” https://foundingmadeplain.org/1787-constitution#1-3

If you are speaking, say FMP 1787 Constitution:1-3. If you are online, the URL is enough.

This site is free to read. You may freely quote and cite material from it. No permission is necessary.

I like to trust. I like to verify.
I developed this FMP Style
to make that efficient.

My hope is that it will be helpful to others.
Plain musing.
Plain studying.
Plain communication
of the Declaration and the Constitution.

Whether
first time reader, or veteran,
left or right,
“Old School” or “Newest …,”
I offer this site to you.

Opinion?
Of course! Just not here.
Here we learn about our Republic.
Elsewhere we talk about our Republic.

This style has helped me
explore OUR nation’s roots,
think foundationally,
own OUR mistakes,
contemplate legitimate changes,
honor OUR progress,
and not lie to OUR children.

In other words,
Let’s secure for ourselves
and our Posterity
the name
American.

FMP Style aids in reading the official texts.
Errors: admin@foundingmadeplain.org