ABSTRACT
America is a nation governed by laws, not by individuals. Since the earliest days of the founding of the United States, Americans have attempted to justify actions by applying laws, rather than by relying on the authority of a single ruler. For example, the Declaration of Independence is a beautifully crafted, philosophical and legal statement that justifies the separation of the 13 colonies from England. The same reliance on the sanctity of law forced the resignation of a president of the United States in 1974 and the impeachment of another in 1999.
