The U.S. Constitution: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #566

by David J. Bodenhamer

Though the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, its impact on our lives is as recent as today's news. Claims and counterclaims about the constitutionality of governmental actions are a habit of American politics. This document, which its framers designed to limit power, often has made political conflict inevitable. It also has accommodated and legitimized the political and social changes of a vibrant, powerful democratic nation. A product of history's first modern revolution, the Constitution embraced a new formula for it restrained power on behalf of liberty, but it also granted power to promote and protect liberty.

The U.S. A Very Short Introduction explores the major themes that have shaped American constitutional federalism, the balance of powers, property, representation, equality, rights, and security. Informed by the latest scholarship, this book places constitutional history within the context of American political and social history. As our nation's circumstances have changed, so has our Constitution.

Today we face serious challenges to the nation's constitutional legacy. Endless wars, a sharply divided electorate, economic inequality, and immigration, along with a host of other issues, have placed demands on government and on society that test our constitutional values. Understanding how the Constitution has evolved will help us adapt its principles to the challenges of our age.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Politics, History, Law, Nonfiction, American History, Audiobook, The United States Of America

168 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2018

Reviews

[robin friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The U.S. Constitution In The Very Short Introductions Series

Reflection on the United States Constitution is always rewarding particularly in tumultuous times. David Bodenhamer's recent book, "The U.S. Constitution" in Oxford University Press' "Very Short Introductions" series offers a brief good overview of the Constitution and its significance. The director of the Polis Center at Indiana University and a professor of history, Bodenhamer has written extensively on American constitutional and legal history.

This "very short introduction" covers a great deal of difficult material, both in terms of time and substance. As a unifying theme, Bodenhamer shows the tension in the Constitution and its interpretation between the protection of individual liberty on the one hand and the need for a strong government to protect liberty and to respond to a changing world on the other hand. Thus, Bodenhamer offers a whirlwind discussion of the events which led to the Constitutional Convention, to the compromises and divisions of power in the text of the original document, to the ratification convention, and the adoption of the Bill of Rights. It would be a great deal to cover even for a work many times longer than this book, and Bodenhamer's chapter is the least satisfactory part of this very short introduction.

Then again, Bodenhamer devotes a chapter to Federalism and the divided government the Constitution created between the Federal and the State governments. He shows how this division has been constantly reinterpreted and readjusted during American history with a stress on the importance of the Civil War Amendments. The following chapter of the book addresses another broad structural issue in the Constitution by exploring the balance and separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches and how each branch has tended to vie for power and predominance over time.

After these brief discussions of the structure of the Constitution, Bodenhamer explores critical substantive areas in the document and in its interpretation, including property, voting, equality, the nature and content of various rights, such as the right to free exercise of religion, and national security. In each of these areas, Bodenhamer discusses some of the key Supreme Court cases over the years that have shaped the law together with discussions of executive and legislative actions and changes in the views of the people. On the whole the discussions are good and accessible (with the omission of a critical "not" in the discussion of a case on government action and its relationship to the Establishment Clause, p. 105). The reader gets a sense of the complexity of the issues and of differences in approach to them. Bodenhamer is generally even-handed rather than polemical or ideologically driven.

There is much to be learned about the Constitution and this very short introduction barely skims the surface. Still, the book works as an introduction both to new readers and to readers seeking an overview. The book includes suggestions for further reading for those moved to explore some of the issues in American constitutionalism. Importantly, Bodenhamer treats the Constitution and the United States with respect. He reminds readers of Benjamin Franklin's response as he left Independence Hall to a woman who asked about what kind of government the Constitution had created. "A Republic, if you can keep it", Franklin replied. As Bodenhamer concludes, "how Americans interpret the Constitution during unsettled and troubled times makes Franklin's challenge the most important one that the United States as a nation will ever face." Within the scope of a very short introduction, this book is a good brief study of the Constitution that may inspire readers to learn more.

Robin Friedman

[JS · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually a really nice, quick read about the constitution and how it has faired over the years. It’s short so it’s obviously not super deep, but I liked the theme and purpose of this book

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many Americans have a respect and high view of the Constitution; yet few have read it and know about the content of this important document. Do you want an introduction to the US Constitution? This would be a book to consider. This is part of Oxford’s University Press’ series called “A Very Short Introduction” which they print these volumes in a smaller size (the dimension are 6.7 x 0.3 x 4.9 inches), on nice paper and with a nice cover. The author for this volume is a capable specialists on this topic whose background is a professor of America legal and constitutional history.
There are eight chapters in this work. The first considers how revolutionary the American Constitution is, and here the author gives some historical background of how the Constitution was needed and first written. The rest of the chapters onwards covers different topics within the Constitution with chapter two covering federalism and chapter three on balance of powers; these two chapters are important as the cover the structure of the government that the Constitution laid out. Chapter four onwards cover various topics related to contemporary issues discussed today concerning Constitutional rights with chapter four going over property, chapter five on representation, chapter six on equality, chapter seven on rights and chapter eight on security. There’s also an epilogue on the future of the Constitution.
I enjoyed this book and I felt there’s a lot I learned even as someone who have studied on the Constitution before both academically and out of personal interests. I did feel at times it ended up more about talking about Court cases and there’s a sense that I understand that’s important for the Courts interpret the Constitution and it is the Court that articulate what are our Constitutional rights for today. But I wished there was more discussion of how certain issues and rights were formulated during the amendment process itself as a discussion of the Constitution proper. Yet few classes on the Constitution today in political science department focus on the history of the Constitution in that way and end up talking about Court cases and Court interpretation. That’s where we are at today. Constitutional rights is a discussion that spark a lot of heat and debate and contention and while the author has his bias still I thought he was factual and informative for all the reading audience. I normally don’t read reviews before I write a review but I saw someone said that this book didn’t talk about race; but reading this book I was pleasantly surprised that the book did not shy away from this topic.
Overall a worthwhile read.

[Anthony J. Toumazatos · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book about the US Constitution, this book's structure and commentary were a bit too far removed from the document itself for my liking and also, honestly, confounded my expectation. I hoped for a book which went through the document perhaps article by article and talked about its significance in that manner, but this book was structured around general principles associated with the Constitution.

Funnily enough, it actually tracked an American Legal History course I took as an undergrad in terms of content and flow incredibly well. But even this points to my critique: it was more a discussion of broader legal history rather than about the Constitution itself. Of course, they are inextricably intertwined, but they are NOT the same.

As such, I still think this is a decent read for those interested in American legal history, the Law, and things of that nature, though it can be a bit of a bore sometimes. However, if you are looking to learn about the Constitution itself, I'd probably look elsewhere.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Well, Dr. Franklin, did you give us a republic or a monarchy?

“A republic, if you can keep it.”

- Franklin’s response to a woman outside the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

——

First two chapters an excellent refresher on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. The thematic chapters explore “rights,” “representation,” “security,” but seem to overlap a lot in what the author discusses.

Overall pretty decent VSI.

[Andrew Breza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once in a while, I like to go back to basics with a topic I already know well. This Very Short Introduction offers a history of both Constitution and its shifting interpretation. While I don't 100% agree with everything in the book (I'm a bigger fan of dual federalism than the author), overall it's a well balanced description of the foundation of American jurisprudence.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given what's going on the the US right now, I felt I needed a historical primer on the Constitution, to get some context of what's happening and how 47 is justifying his actions. Written during his term as 45, this was a very interesting read in that respect.

[Everybody’s a Critic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously this isn't the most exciting read, but it's short and very informative. I wish it had had a section where it went over the amendments altogether, but otherwise I think it covered most, if not all, of the amendments throughout.

I loved how this wasn't just a history lesson or a play by play of the Constitution, but the author went through American history and discussed how the Constitution was used/interpreted, how these interpretations had changed, what it meant for the country, how the branches of government grew and changed, and even discussed several Supreme Court cases and how they related to the Constitution and its interpretations at the time. It's a short, if not a little dry, read, but I think it's very important for every American to understand one of the most famous documents not just of our country, but also of our world. It never hurts to know your rights, either!

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second VSI book, and this one was better than the Niezchte one.

It starts out with this history of the constitution in the context of America's founding, then details the amendments as history rolls forward.

The key insight is that there are actually 2 constitutions, both of which center around liberty:

1) The constitution is meant to promote liberty by preventing the government to encroach upon the freedoms of citizens (small government)
2) the constitution is meant to promote liberty by expanding it to the disenfranchised by means of challenging established hegemonies (big government)

There are good reasons for both, but there is somewhat of some irony in the mutually exclusively of the two. Perhaps that explains the polarization that happens among those who similarly claim to uphold the constitution.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

David J Bodenhamer's book is an excellent introduction to the US Constitution. It contextualises its creation and talks through the great conflicts that have been fought over its application by subject. So each chapter covers a different aspect, e.g. Federalism, Balance of Powers, Equality and others.

Because its intent is meant to be general it doesn't focus on each part of the constitution - there's virtually nothing on the 2nd Amendment for example - but on how the constitution is applied and how that application has changed over time.

It does seem to me that calling for some pure reading of that Constitution is stupid though. It is vague and inconsistent, it obviously doesn't foresee a lot of what is to come, it says nothing - directly - about privacy and the original document is racist and sexist. Sorry America. But it is.

One of the most interesting points Bodenhamer draws your attention to though is how Lincoln pulled the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution together. That the Constitution is the practical guide to creating what the Declaration hoped to create: "...a more perfect union."

It is an interesting read and as with all 'A Very Short Introduction' books it comes with an extensive reading list should you want to follow-up on any of this stuff. It has helped me to understand some of the ongoing issues in American politics and I have more sympathy now with people who want States to have a little more independence. My argument would be a more agreeable prospect if US state elections weren't so badly corrupted by religion, gerrymandering and money.

I have books next to me to read on the Constitution itself, the Supreme Court and - just to avoid too much US focus - the British constitution. After all what is America if not an attempt to take out the hierarchy of the British political system.

It also reminds me, once again, that the ideal of America is something rather glorious but its actual practical day-to-day activity is grubby, ugly and disappointing. Or to quote the Pub Landlord (aka Al Murray): "America - a good idea that got out of hand."

[Enthusiastic Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here are the two things I learned about the US Constitution based on this book:

1. The US constitution was built as a tool to protect citizens’ liberty rights and compromised on equality rights by doing so, which explains partly why America is so unequal today.
2. The US constitution was not prepared to confront a world of cybersecurity, privacy matters, war, foreign interference in elections etc. That being said the author argues that it’s unlikely that the founding fathers would have said that the answer to these issues was to grant more powers to the president like it is done today.

[Anthony D’Apolito III · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Bodenhamer does an awesome job of condensing so much value history into 130 pages.

I like how he refrained from adding a lot of his input too - as it allowed me to answer my own questions when reading this book and dissect it for myself.

A major point to look out for when reading this is the intention for setting a free republic and indepedent democracy, as well as the ways in which the U.S Constitution has been adjusted over time.

It’s all about context. Don’t forget that.

[Guini Mayse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really allows for a deeper introspection of what the US constitution and original government was really trying to do. It helps to understand exactly what people were trying to be protected against. And it’s shows in a terrifying way how far the US has have fallen since the creation of this document of the public.

[Garret Macko · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent and condensed overview of the U.S. Constitution. If you were born and raised in the U.S., you'll get a lot of what you hopefully received in your high school civics class, but there's also an additional layer of depth and insight that I only got into once in college.

[Rick Mathis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good basic overview. I was looking for more on ideological origins of the Constitution and significant cases. This book spends more time on contemporary issues that are already familiar to me.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't super exciting, but I can't help but wonder if that's because of the topic. More focused on modern vs. older conflicts.

[Martha Southgate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview

While this book does dodge matters of race a bit, the last chapters are a terrific elucidation of how we got where we are, constitution-wise

[Fay Lin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Out of date, too modern, few historical anecdotes on the creation of our Constitution in favor of analyzing Supreme Court cases.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly written and in-depth enough introduction to the US Constitution. It lives up to the expectations of the series.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet, recap of the different interpretations over time, by the judiciary
#GodblessAmerica

[Jason Baldauf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A satisfactory introduction to the constitution. It includes it’s post revolution conception, federalism, balance of powers, property, representation and suffrage. It also discusses the relationship between the constitution and equality, rights and security. It provides a good summary of this important document and how it relates to us today as opposed to it’s original intent.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

David J. Bodenhamer is a retired professor of history at the University of Indiana in Indianapolis. Bodenhamer published a short introduction to the United States Constitution. The book was published in 2018. The book has chapters on “federalism, the balance of powers, property, equality, representation, rights, and security” (Bodenhamer 20). Bodenhamer views these themes as the most significant themes of the United States Constitution. The first chapter discusses the structure of the Constitution and the origins of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The first chapter also covers the ratification of the Constitution. The second chapter is on federalism. Bodenhamer writes that “federalism, the division of power between state and central governments, was the most novel doctrine to emerge from the Constitutional Convention” (Bodenhamer 22). Each chapter shows each concept of “federalism, the balance of powers, property, equality, representation, rights, and security” (Bodenhamer 20) through time since the writing of the Constitution in 1787. The book ends with an “epilogue on the future constitution” (Bodenhamer 123-127). Bodenhamer reminds the reader that “the United States is not the same” country as in the late 18th Century or when Reconstruction amendments were passed after the Civil War (Bodenhamer 123). The book has a section on references, an index, and images. The book was an excellent introduction to the United States Constitution.

[Craig Bowers · Rating 2 out of 5]

WARNING IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE US CONSTITUTION.
So... it is basically 100+ pages of people pretending like they're smart because they can write 101 history level chapters about the US Constitution. You can find information of much higher quality using Google. BUT do not think that this is a quality text to share if you are trying to TEACH people the U.S. Constitution. Failure. Pathetic.

[Grace Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good and concise book about the US Constitution. I highly recommend it to people who want to be bored while reading about the US Constitution.