A brilliant solution : inventing the American Constitution
We know and love the story of the American Revolution, from the Declaration of Independence to Cornwallis's defeat. We forget, though, that the Articles of Confederation and our first attempts at self-government were disasters; the post-revolutionary Confederation slipped quickly into factional bickering and economic crisis. In 1787, a group of lawyers and politicians, some famous and others just ordinary men, journeyed to Philadelphia, determined to create a more stable framework of government, hoping that it would last long enough to bring an end to the crisis. Revealing that the story of that amazing summer in Philadelphia is more complicated and much more interesting than we have imagined, Carol Berkin makes you feel as if you were there, listening to the arguments, getting to know the framers, and appreciating the difficult and critical decisions being made. Using history as a kind of time travel, Berkin takes the reader into the hearts and minds of the founders, explaining their mind-sets, their fears, and their very limited expectations. By telling a story that is more hallowed than understood, Berkin brings us into the world of eighteenth-century America and shows us the human side of a great accomplishment
History
310 pages ; 22 cm
9780151009480, 9780156028721, 0151009481, 0156028727
49663906
Our present federal government is a name, a shadow : the call for a convention
Making Mr. Madison wait
A gathering of demi-gods
How far do you intend to go? : the perils of power
I do not trust you, gentlemen : schisms, threats, and compromises
Like "a trial of colours to a blind man" : debating the presidency once again
I consent, sir, to this constitution because I expect no better : the convention ends
The constitution is now before the judgment seat : the battle for ratification
This great and good man : the inauguration of President George Washington
Includes index