How to Cite the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

In honor of the Fourth of July and the most patriotic month of the year in America, let’s look at some tips on how to cite the Declaration of Independence and similar important historical documents in MLA format and APA format. USA!

  1. If you are citing a website with information about the Declaration or the Constitution (even if you can read the document on the site), you should follow the format for the source type “website” to make the citation in your works cited or reference list.
  2. If you are citing the Declaration or Constitution itself as a whole (not specific parts), do not cite it in your APA 7 bibliography or Chicago-style bibliography . This is because both are considered well-known, or common knowledge, documents. They should only be referenced in narrative or parenthetical citations. For additional specifics on style requirements, see the sections below for each particular style manual.
  3. In your text, do not underline or use quotation marks for the words Declaration of Independence or Constitution of the United States. Simply use a parenthetical citation like the examples below. Try to be as specific as possible, and use the section, clause, or amendment numbers. For example:

…in the Declaration of Independence (1776).

…In the Constitution of the United States, Article III refers to the …. (sec. 1, cl. 3).

…in the U.S. Constitution (art. II, sec. 1, cl. 3.).

…slavery was finally abolished in December 1865 (US Const., amend. XIII).

  1. The most important tip is to be consistent with your citations throughout your paper. Try to maintain some sort of uniformity throughout your references to the Declaration or Constitution, and be sure to include as much information as possible.

Creating bibliography entries

Though you’re not always required to cite a whole federal or state constitution in APA or Chicago styles, you must include in-text citations and reference entries when you refer to specific articles, amendments, and/or sections of a federal constitution or state charter. If you’re following MLA 9 style, you can include a works-cited list entry and in-text citation both for the entire constitution or for specific parts (see examples below).

Create a reference following the correct format for the specific source type. For example, a printed copy of the Constitution found in a book or a digital transcription of the Declaration of Independence found on a website.

APA 7 format: U.S. Constitution

Again, if you’re citing the U.S. Constitution as a whole, not a certain part, a citation isn’t required in APA 7 style. Instead, refer to the Constitution in the text.

However, if you’re citing a specific part, follow the format below, depending on the part you’re citing.

U.S. Const. art. xxx. § x.

U.S. Const. art. III, § 1.