America Has Voted the Fourteenth Amendment as America's Most Significant Document

The National Archives Foundation and More Perfect announced today that the nationwide final vote was between the 13th and 14th amendments—in this first-of-its-kind competition among 100 historical records from the National Archives

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After nine months of voting across all 50 states, the National Archives Foundation and More Perfect announced the winner of America's 100 Docs: America's Most Significant Document from the National Archives is the 14th Amendment.

The top 16 records from the National Archives went head-to-head in an online tournament over the last four weeks, with classrooms and Americans of all ages and backgrounds filling out their own historical Sweet 16 bracket and voting on which records advanced to the finals. The Charters of Freedom, including the Declaration of Independence, the U.S.Constitution, and the Bill of Rights were not included in the competition.

"Thank you to the tens of thousands of Americans who voted—from school children to the public of all ages. We're proud that voices from all corners of the nation helped decide America's Most Significant Document," said Patrick Madden, Chief Executive Officer of the National Archives Foundation. "We hope that for many, this is the beginning of their journey into the countless stories waiting to be found within the holdings of the National Archives."

The original 100 records—which include documents, photos, maps, patents, and images—were thoughtfully selected by a historical advisory group cochaired by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and famed documentarian and National Archives Foundation Distinguished Historian Board Member Ken Burns.

America's 100 Docs is made possible through a partnership with More Perfect and the generous support of the Ibis Group and Seedlings Foundation. America's 100 Docs was celebrated and promoted by many partners, including Made By Us, Presidential Libraries, and history and civic institutions across the nation.

"When we invite people across the country to engage directly with these primary documents, we turn spectators into citizens and transform the archives from a vault of the past into a living workshop for America's democratic future," said John Bridgeland, Founder & CEO of More Perfect. "Many of these 100 documents, including the 14th Amendment, remind us of the times we transcended deep divisions to act together in the public interest."

The winner of the Sweet 16 Championship, the 14th Amendment, was ratified in July 1868 to provide a constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship, federal protection of due process, and equal protection under the law. It also eliminated the three-fifths rule; guaranteed that all male citizens over the age of 21, regardless of their race, had a right to vote; and provided terms for repayment of Civil War debts and rules for federal service by ex-Confederates.

The original 100 records span the nation's founding to September 11, 2001, while the Sweet 16 Championship included iconic matchups from every era of American history, including:

Sweet 16:

13th Amendment versus 15th Amendment

Emancipation Proclamation versus Articles of Confederation

Treaty of Paris versus Brown v. Board of Education

Marbury v. Madison versus Roe v. Wade

14th Amendment vs. Louisiana Purchase Treaty

Civil Rights Act of 1964 versus Social Security Act

19th Amendment versus Americans with Disabilities Act

Virginia Plan versus Attack on 9/11

Final 8:

13th Amendment versus Emancipation Proclamation

14th Amendment versus Civil Rights Act of 1964

Treaty of Paris versus Marbury vs. Madison

19th Amendment versus Virginia Plan

Top 4:

13th Amendment versus Treaty of Paris

14th Amendment versus 19th Amendment

Final Championship:

13th Amendment versus 14th Amendment

America's 100 Docs will continue to be available as an evergreen resource for educators, students, and the public. The game was created to bring primary records from the National Archives to life in a format that makes them accessible, engaging, and encourages people to consider how pivotal moments and decisions shaped American history. The public is invited to continue engaging with America's 100 Docs at www.100docs.vote.

About the National Archives Foundation
The National Archives Foundation is an independent nonprofit foundation that increases public awareness of the National Archives, inspires a deeper appreciation of our country's heritage, and encourages citizen engagement in our democracy. The Foundation generates financial and creative support for National Archives exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, introducing America's records to people around the U.S. and the world. Learn more at www.archivesfoundation.org.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 43 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five foundational Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service & Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides & Building Trust; 4) Trusted Elections & More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News & Information.

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