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Signers of the Constitution
The summer of 1787 comes alive as delegates to the Constitutional Convention hammer out the wording of the legal instrument that established the system of government of the United States more than two hundred years ago. This book first examines the need for and the significance of the U.S. Constitution, then follows the progress of various proposals and debates during the four grueling months it took to forge an acceptable document. Stories of the individual signers of the Constitution give insight into their backgrounds, motivations, and achievements. An appendix cites the complete text of the Constitution and describes the history of the document itself. An index facilitates retrieval of information in the text. The book measures 6 X 9 inches, has 280 pages and a laminated paper cover. One hundred sixteen black and white illustrations show portraits of each of the Signers as well as paintings and photographs of other aspects of this story.
- GenresHistory
280 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1976
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July 3, 2016
Written in 1976 by two members of the National Parks Service and republished in 2001, this two-part volume is an excellent introduction to the United States Constitution, the document that established our Representative Republic, not a democracy.
Part one examines the circumstances that led to the decision to formally supplant the Articles of Confederation. Part two provides biographical sketches—albeit briefly—of the 55 men behind the creation of our Constitution. Historic newspapers of the period, as well as other original source materials pictured throughout the book, added to the sense of genuine research that went into producing this remarkable volume.
There was one glaring misconception regarding the delegate from Delaware, George Read. Although it’s widely known he voted against national independence on July 2, 1776, it’s striking to note he did, in fact, vote in favor of Delaware’s own separation just two weeks earlier. However, neither author satisfactorily explored this anomaly in Read’s voting record. One of three delegates from “the Lower Three Counties” as Delaware was known then, Read believed the Delaware General Assembly was a legitimate governing body, thus he had no trouble voting for separation for the state itself. However, according to author Carol E. Hoffecker in her book, Democracy in Delaware, Read was reticent to vote for separation at the federal level until a legitimate national government was formed.
This discrepancy aside, the biographical sketches do offer tantalizing tidbits about each delegate. For those who crave more in-depth information, you will have to obtain it elsewhere. It is for this reason, and the fact most books of this nature can’t capture everything, that a robust understanding of the making of our Supreme Law of the Land can only be had through a review of many such painstakingly researched works. One that certainly comes to mind (and that I’m currently re-reading) is David O. Stewart’s, The Summer of 1787.
For those who think they know about our Constitution, it’s a real eye opener to discover that something so revered took such great pains to hammer out.
Part one examines the circumstances that led to the decision to formally supplant the Articles of Confederation. Part two provides biographical sketches—albeit briefly—of the 55 men behind the creation of our Constitution. Historic newspapers of the period, as well as other original source materials pictured throughout the book, added to the sense of genuine research that went into producing this remarkable volume.
There was one glaring misconception regarding the delegate from Delaware, George Read. Although it’s widely known he voted against national independence on July 2, 1776, it’s striking to note he did, in fact, vote in favor of Delaware’s own separation just two weeks earlier. However, neither author satisfactorily explored this anomaly in Read’s voting record. One of three delegates from “the Lower Three Counties” as Delaware was known then, Read believed the Delaware General Assembly was a legitimate governing body, thus he had no trouble voting for separation for the state itself. However, according to author Carol E. Hoffecker in her book, Democracy in Delaware, Read was reticent to vote for separation at the federal level until a legitimate national government was formed.
This discrepancy aside, the biographical sketches do offer tantalizing tidbits about each delegate. For those who crave more in-depth information, you will have to obtain it elsewhere. It is for this reason, and the fact most books of this nature can’t capture everything, that a robust understanding of the making of our Supreme Law of the Land can only be had through a review of many such painstakingly researched works. One that certainly comes to mind (and that I’m currently re-reading) is David O. Stewart’s, The Summer of 1787.
For those who think they know about our Constitution, it’s a real eye opener to discover that something so revered took such great pains to hammer out.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review