About the audio here
This site provides audio narrations of both American historical works and current government publications.
The audio on this site is in the AAC format. This choice over MP3 was in part to allow the longer recordings to be divided into chapters. The audio was formatted in Garage Band, so it's especially iPod-friendly.-
Texts of all but Recent Military searchable:
Author Archives: americana phonic
The Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
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Common Sense
Common Sense was a 48 page pamphlet published January 10, 1776. Thomas Paine published it anonymously because it was treasonous - it urged the American colonists to break away from the tyranny of Britain.
The pamphlet became a runaway bestseller, with half a million sold in its first year. Paine donated the royalties from it to George Washington's Continental Army.
Over 200 years later, this work stands as a reminder of the principles and ideals that inspired the founding of the United States of America.
The audio narration of Common Sense is divided into four chapters, totaling 1 hour 38 minutes, and 47.2 MB.
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Common Sense chapter 1
ON THE ORIGIN AND DESIGN OF GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL, WITH CONCISE REMARKS ON THE ENGLISH CONSTITUTION
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Common Sense chapter 2
OF MONARCHY AND HEREDITARY SUCCESSION
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Common Sense chapter 3
THOUGHTS ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE AMERICAN AFFAIRS
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Common Sense chapter 4
OF THE PRESENT ABILITY OF AMERICA, WITH SOME MISCELLANEOUS REFLECTIONS
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The Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
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The Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
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Typee by Herman Melville
Typee was Herman Melville's first book, recounting how he jumped ship in the Marquesas Islands in 1842, to become captive of a cannibal island tribe. It was Melville's most popular work during his lifetime. The author was awed and charmed by the strangeness and beauty of the island and its people. Many sought to discredit the work, calling it a total fabrication. But a rebuttal came when its events were corroborated by Melville's fellow castaway, Richard T. Greene, who appears in the story as the character Toby.
The entire narration of the book lasts 11 hours 32 minutes, and totals 335.6 MB.
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National Security and Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century
During the Cold War, the greatest security concern of the United States was the military capabilities of the Soviet Union. Potential threats from China and regional states such as North Korea were considered to be lesser included cases that could be addressed by the capabilities deployed to counter the Soviet threat. The current global security environment is radically different. The primary national security challenge now facing the United States is the nexus of violent extremists and regional states of concern that have, or seek to attain, weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
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National Defense Strategy 2008
A core responsibility of the U.S. Government is to protect the American people – in the words of the framers of our Constitution, to “provide for the common defense.” For more than 230 years, the U.S. Armed Forces have served as a bulwark of liberty, opportunity, and prosperity at home. Beyond our shores, America shoulders additional responsibilities on behalf of the world. For those struggling for a better life, there is and must be no stronger advocate than the United States. We remain a beacon of light for those in dark places, and for this reason we should remember that our actions and words signal the depth of our strength and resolve. For our friends and allies, as well as for our enemies and potential adversaries, our commitment to democratic values must be matched by
our deeds. The spread of liberty both manifests our ideals and protects our interests.
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The Federalist Papers
The year is 1787. America is a fledgling confederation of 13 colonies. A new Constitution has been written in Philadelphia, to replace the Articles of Confederation. Do you think that this new constitution should become the supreme law of the land?
Vote: YES or NO
The Federalists want you to vote yes. As America roils with intense debate on this fateful issue, a series of essays begin to appear in three New York newspapers, written by the mysterious persona Publius. These essays urge the American people to ratify the constitution, explaining and defending it in detail. After their debut in New York, the essays subsequently appeared in newspapers across the nation.
We know today that Publius was actually three different people: Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison. Their painstaking efforts to explain and promote the United States Constitution have become a primary source for the interpretation and understanding of the highest law of the United States of America.
Thomas Jefferson called the Federalist Papers the "best commentary on the principles of government which ever was written."
They are available in their entirety on this site, as 85 separate audio narrations. All together, these narrations comprise 20 hours 30 minutes of audio, and total 602.1 MB.
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Federalist No. 2
CONCERNING DANGERS FROM FOREIGN FORCE AND INFLUENCE
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Federalist No. 3
CONCERNING DANGERS FROM FOREIGN FORCE AND INFLUENCE, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 4
CONCERNING DANGERS FROM FOREIGN FORCE AND INFLUENCE, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 5
CONCERNING DANGERS FROM FOREIGN FORCE AND INFLUENCE, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 6
CONCERNING DANGERS FROM DISSENSIONS BETWEEN THE STATES
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Federalist No. 7
CONCERNING DANGERS FROM DISSENSIONS BETWEEN THE STATES, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 8
THE CONSEQUENCES OF HOSTILITIES BETWEEN THE STATES
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Federalist No. 9
THE UNION AS A SAFEGUARD AGAINST DOMESTIC FACTION AND INSURRECTION
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Federalist No. 10
THE UNION AS A SAFEGUARD AGAINST DOMESTIC FACTION AND INSURRECTION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 11
THE UTILITY OF THE UNION IN RESPECT TO COMMERCIAL RELATIONS AND A NAVY
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Federalist No. 12
THE UTILITY OF THE UNION IN RESPECT TO REVENUE
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Federalist No. 13
ADVANTAGE OF THE UNION IN RESPECT TO ECONOMY IN GOVERNMENT
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Federalist No. 14
OBJECTIONS TO THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTION FROM EXTENT OF TERRITORY ANSWERED
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Federalist No. 15
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THE UNION
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Federalist No. 16
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THE UNION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 17
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THE UNION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 18
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THE UNION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 19
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THE UNION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 20
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THE UNION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 21
OTHER DEFECTS OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION
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Federalist No. 22
OTHER DEFECTS OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 23
THE NECESSITY OF A GOVERNMENT AS ENERGETIC AS THE ONE PROPOSED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE UNION
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Federalist No. 24
THE POWERS NECESSARY TO THE COMMON DEFENSE FURTHER CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 25
THE POWERS NECESSARY TO THE COMMON DEFENSE FURTHER CONSIDERED, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 26
THE IDEA OF RESTRAINING THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY IN REGARD TO THE COMMON DEFENSE CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 27
THE IDEA OF RESTRAINING THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY IN REGARD TO THE COMMON DEFENSE CONSIDERED, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 28
THE IDEA OF RESTRAINING THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY IN REGARD TO THE COMMON DEFENSE CONSIDERED, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 30
CONCERNING THE GENERAL POWER OF TAXATION
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Federalist No. 31
CONCERNING THE GENERAL POWER OF TAXATION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 32
CONCERNING THE GENERAL POWER OF TAXATION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 33
CONCERNING THE GENERAL POWER OF TAXATION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 34
CONCERNING THE GENERAL POWER OF TAXATION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 35
CONCERNING THE GENERAL POWER OF TAXATION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 36
CONCERNING THE GENERAL POWER OF TAXATION, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 37
CONCERNING THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE CONVENTION IN DEVISING A PROPER FORM OF GOVERNMENT
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Federalist No. 38
THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED, AND THE INCOHERENCE OF THE OBJECTIONS TO THE NEW PLAN EXPOSED
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Federalist No. 39
THE CONFORMITY OF THE PLAN TO REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLES
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Federalist No. 40
THE POWERS OF THE CONVENTION TO FORM A MIXED GOVERNMENT EXAMINED AND SUSTAINED
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Federalist No. 41
GENERAL VIEW OF THE POWERS CONFERRED BY THE CONSTITUTION
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Federalist No. 42
THE POWERS CONFERRED BY THE CONSTITUTION FURTHER CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 43
THE POWERS CONFERRED BY THE CONSTITUTION FURTHER CONSIDERED, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 44
RESTRICTIONS ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE SEVERAL STATES
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Federalist No. 45
THE ALLEGED DANGER FROM THE POWERS OF THE UNION TO THE STATE GOVERNMENTS CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 46
THE INFLUENCE OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS COMPARED
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Federalist No. 47
THE PARTICULAR STRUCTURE OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF POWER AMONG ITS DIFFERENT PARTS
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Federalist No. 48
THESE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD NOT BE SO FAR SEPARATED AS TO HAVE NO CONSTITUTIONAL CONTROL OVER EACH OTHER
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Federalist No. 49
METHOD OF GUARDING AGAINST THE ENCROACHMENTS OF ANY ONE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT BY APPEALING TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH A CONVENTION
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Federalist No. 50
PERIODIC APPEALS TO THE PEOPLE CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 51
THE STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT MUST FURNISH THE PROPER CHECKS AND BALANCES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS
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Federalist No. 53
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 54
THE APPORTIONMENT OF MEMBERS AMONG THE STATES
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Federalist No. 55
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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Federalist No. 56
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 57
THE ALLEGED TENDENCY OF THE NEW PLAN TO ELEVATE THE FEW AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MANY CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH REPRESENTATION
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Federalist No. 58
OBJECTION THAT THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WILL NOT BE AUGMENTED AS THE PROGRESS OF POPULATION DEMANDS CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 59
CONCERNING THE POWER OF CONGRESS TO REGULATE THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS
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Federalist No. 60
CONCERNING THE POWER OF CONGRESS TO REGULATE THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 61
CONCERNING THE POWER OF CONGRESS TO REGULATE THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS, CONTINUED
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Federalist No. 66
OBJECTIONS TO THE POWER OF THE SENATE TO SET AS A COURT FOR IMPEACHMENTS FURTHER CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 70
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT FURTHER CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 71
THE DURATION IN OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE
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Federalist No. 72
THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED, AND RE-ELIGIBILITY OF THE EXECUTIVE CONSIDERED
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Federalist No. 73
THE PROVISION FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE, AND THE VETO POWER
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The Constitution of the United States of America