《美国重要历史文献选读》遴选了42篇且有代表性的美国重要历史文献，配以导读、注释、思考题，以及可供延伸阅读的参考文献目录。

　　《美国重要历史文献选读》可用作高等院校英语专业美国研究方向研究生的专业教材，亦可用作本科高年级英美文化课程的教学用书或辅助教材。对英语专业其他研究方向的学生以及对美国历史文化感兴趣的读者，本书也具有较高的使用和参考价值。

　　Article Ⅰ

　　Section 1

　　All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of theUnited States， which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives。

　　Section 2

　　The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States， and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature。

　　No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years， and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States， and who shall not， when elected， be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen。

　　Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union， according to their respective Numbers， which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons， including those bound to Service for a Term of Years， and excluding Indians not taxed， three fifths of all other Persons。  The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States， and within every subsequent Term of ten Years， in such Manner as they shall by Law direct。 The Number of Representatives shallnot exceed one for every thirty Thousand， but each State shall have at Least one Representative； and until such enumeration shall be made， the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse2 three， Massachusetts eight。

　　……

1. 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 （1789） and Other Amendments to the Constitution （1795-1992）

7. First Inaugural Address （1789）

8. Farewell Address （1796）

9. The 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 of the Frontier in American History （1893）

25. Women and Economics （1898）

26. Wealth （1889）

27. Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others （1903）

28. The Meaning of Democracy （1912）

29. Materialism and Idealism in American Life （1920）

30. Principles and Ideals of the United States Government （1928）

31. The Four Freedoms （1941）

32. The Truman Doctrine （1947）

33. Atoms for Peace （1953）

34. Opinion in the Case of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka （1954）

35. Inaugural Address （1961）

36. Letter from a Birmingham Jail （1963）

37. I Have a Dream （1963）

38. Strengthening the World Economic Structure （1975）

39. Farewell Address （1989）

40. Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on the Deployment of Forces in Response to the Terrorist Attacks of September 11 （2001）

41. First Inaugural Address （2009）

42. Nomination Hearing to Be Secretary of State （2009）