本书遴选篇目共34篇，时间跨度从殖民地时期到21世纪，文献类型包括著名的演说词、政论、宣言、司法判决、文学作品或其他形式的文献等，全书为了凸显美国历史与文化的演变和发展，让读者对其不仅有一个纵向的认识，也有一个横向的了解，本书编排以文献产生的历史时间为顺序，而不是以主题思想为板块。这样，读者更容易观察到在同一历史时期，美国不同社会群体不同的关注点和生存状态。

1. The Mayflower Compact (1620)
2. The Declaration of Independence (1776)
3. What Is an American? (1782)
4. The Federalist No. 10 (1787)
5. The Constitution of the United States of America (1787)
6. The Bill of Rights (1791) and Other Amendments to the Constitution(1798-1992)
7. First Inaugural Address (1789)
8. Farewell Address (1796)
9. First Inaugural Address (1801)
10. The Monroe Doctrine (1823)
11. David Walker's Appeal (1829)
12. Indian Removal Act (1830)
13. Self-Reliance (1841)
14. Civil Disobedience (1848)
15. Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (1848)
16. Address to the Ohio Women's Rights Convention (1851)
17. Independence Day Speech at Rochester (1852)
18. Liberty and Equal Rights (1859)
19. First Inaugural Address (1861 )
20. The Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
21. The Gettysburg Address (1863)
22. What Social Classes Owe to Each Other (1883)
23. The Atlanta Exposition Address (1895)
24．The Significance ofthe Frontier inAmerican History(1893)
25．WomenandEconomics(1898)
26．Wealth(1889)
27．OfMr．Booker—Washington and Others(1903)
28．TheMeaning ofDemocracy(1912)
29．Principles and Ideals of the United States Government(1 928)
30．TheFourFreedoms(1941)
31．Atoms for Peace(1953)
32．InauguralAddress(1961)
33．Letter from a Birminghanl Jail(1963)
34．IHave aDream(1963)
参考文献