In 1776, the Continental Congress declared the birth of a new nation. Six of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence went on to craft and sign the Constitution in 1787. What role does the Declaration of Independence play in constitutional interpretation? Should it be considered foundational to the Constitution’s purpose and structure or is it just one source among many?

Prof. Randy E. Barnett, Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Legal Theory, Georgetown Law
Prof. Michael P. Zuckert, Nancy Reeves Dreux Professor of Political Science, The University of Notre Dame
Prof. John Mikhail, Agnes N. Williams Research Professor; Associate Dean, Research and Academic Programs, Professor of Law, Georgetown Law
Prof. Lee J. Strang, John W. Stoepler Professor of Law & Values, The University of Toledo College of Law
Moderator: Judge Thomas Hardiman, United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit