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The United States Constitution: What It Says, What It Means: A Hip Pocket Guide
Affordable, readable, and indispensable, The United States Constitution: What it Says, What it Means allows you to put the most important document in American history in your back pocket. In conjunction with Justice Learning and The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands and with an introduction written by Caroline Kennedy and an afterword written by David Eisenhower, this pocket guide appeals to the broadest possible audience. Each Article and each Amendment is followed by a clear and concise explanation, in plain English, that is suitable for both middle and high school students.
On December 8, 2004 President Bush officially signed Constitution Day into law. The law mandates that each year, on September 17th, schools and colleges that receive federal money are required to teach the Constitution. The new law was championed in Congress by Sen. Robert Byrd who famously carries around a copy of the document in his pocket. Sen. Byrd became increasingly alarmed at the lack of civics education-specifically relating to the Constitution-in our public schools and he wanted to take action.
Lightweight, easy to use and easy for everyone to understand The United States Constitution: What it Says, What it Means is an excellent way for students and citizens of all ages to read and completely comprehend the building block of American democracy.
Justice Learning (www.justicelearning.org), is a comprehensive on-line resource that offers wide-ranging non-partisan materials relating to civics education.
On December 8, 2004 President Bush officially signed Constitution Day into law. The law mandates that each year, on September 17th, schools and colleges that receive federal money are required to teach the Constitution. The new law was championed in Congress by Sen. Robert Byrd who famously carries around a copy of the document in his pocket. Sen. Byrd became increasingly alarmed at the lack of civics education-specifically relating to the Constitution-in our public schools and he wanted to take action.
Lightweight, easy to use and easy for everyone to understand The United States Constitution: What it Says, What it Means is an excellent way for students and citizens of all ages to read and completely comprehend the building block of American democracy.
Justice Learning (www.justicelearning.org), is a comprehensive on-line resource that offers wide-ranging non-partisan materials relating to civics education.
96 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2005
6 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
James Madison
971 books181 followersFor James Madison, Episcopal Bishop and president of the College of William & Mary, see https://www.goodreads.com/author/show....
James Madison, Jr. was an American politician and the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817), and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Madison was the last founding father to die. Considered to be the "Father of the Constitution", he was the principal author of the document. In 1788, he wrote over a third of the Federalist Papers, still the most influential commentary on the Constitution. As a leader in the first Congresses, he drafted many basic laws and was responsible for the first ten amendments to the Constitution (said to be based on the Virginia Declaration of Rights), and thus is also known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights". As a political theorist, Madison's most distinctive belief was that the new republic needed checks and balances to limit the powers of special interests, which Madison called factions. He believed very strongly that the new nation should fight against aristocracy and corruption and was deeply committed to creating mechanisms that would ensure republicanism in the United States.
As leader in the House of Representatives, Madison worked closely with President George Washington to organize the new federal government. Breaking with Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in 1791, Madison and Thomas Jefferson organized what they called the republican party (later called the Democratic-Republican Party) in opposition to key policies of the Federalists, especially the national bank and the Jay Treaty. He secretly co-authored, along with Thomas Jefferson, the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions in 1798 to protest the Alien and Sedition Acts.
As Jefferson's Secretary of State (1801-1809), Madison supervised the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the nation's size, and sponsored the ill-fated Embargo Act of 1807. As president, he led the nation into the War of 1812 against Great Britain in order to protect the United States' economic rights. That conflict began poorly as Americans suffered defeat after defeat by smaller forces, but ended on a high note in 1815, with the Treaty of Ghent, after which a new spirit of nationalism swept the country. During and after the war, Madison reversed many of his positions. By 1815, he supported the creation of the second National Bank, a strong military, and a high tariff to protect the new factories opened during the war.
James Madison, Jr. was an American politician and the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817), and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Madison was the last founding father to die. Considered to be the "Father of the Constitution", he was the principal author of the document. In 1788, he wrote over a third of the Federalist Papers, still the most influential commentary on the Constitution. As a leader in the first Congresses, he drafted many basic laws and was responsible for the first ten amendments to the Constitution (said to be based on the Virginia Declaration of Rights), and thus is also known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights". As a political theorist, Madison's most distinctive belief was that the new republic needed checks and balances to limit the powers of special interests, which Madison called factions. He believed very strongly that the new nation should fight against aristocracy and corruption and was deeply committed to creating mechanisms that would ensure republicanism in the United States.
As leader in the House of Representatives, Madison worked closely with President George Washington to organize the new federal government. Breaking with Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in 1791, Madison and Thomas Jefferson organized what they called the republican party (later called the Democratic-Republican Party) in opposition to key policies of the Federalists, especially the national bank and the Jay Treaty. He secretly co-authored, along with Thomas Jefferson, the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions in 1798 to protest the Alien and Sedition Acts.
As Jefferson's Secretary of State (1801-1809), Madison supervised the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the nation's size, and sponsored the ill-fated Embargo Act of 1807. As president, he led the nation into the War of 1812 against Great Britain in order to protect the United States' economic rights. That conflict began poorly as Americans suffered defeat after defeat by smaller forces, but ended on a high note in 1815, with the Treaty of Ghent, after which a new spirit of nationalism swept the country. During and after the war, Madison reversed many of his positions. By 1815, he supported the creation of the second National Bank, a strong military, and a high tariff to protect the new factories opened during the war.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 5, 2017
OK, there is no way to "rate" the Constitution, though I do really wish there had been more clarity and precision applied when drafting the Second Amendment. What I appreciate by this littke book are the notes that accompany each section. This will be a much-used reference in the time ahead.
July 13, 2019
I am an Amerophile British citizen and I have traveled widely in the United States of America. Until recently I had never read the American Constitution in full, despite a visit to Philadelphia's 'Liberty Hall' some years ago. On a recent return visit to Philly, and with a scheduled trip to the Constitution Museum planned, I decide to take the plunge and this book seemed like the most accessible avenue.
Hailed by some from the most powerful nation on earth as the sacred document by which the rest of the world should organise their government the concept of a written Constitution is anathema to a Britisher. The nationalistic pride that all citizens take in their own country's ideals of law and order and governmental representation and operation makes the US Constitution mysterious to foreigners. The devotion by which it is (perceived) to be held by American citizens is also baffling.
This book does not provide a context to the reasons for the high esteem in which it is held BUT it DOES provide an excellent coverage of the far-reaching implications of the document and of all of the subsequent changes in a coherent, concise, and easily understandable format. A degree of knowledge of the working of the American governmental system would be a bonus when setting out to read this guide but the fact that the actual document you are reading IS the outline of the governmental system does not make this essential.
An appreciation of the utter simplicity of the original document is given in the guide and then a simple appreciation of how it's interpretation has such lasting implications for America and the rest of the world is then easy to grasp. Historical context is provided in detailing the various Amendments and if this contextual detail had been a little more detailed I would have awarded a 5-star rating.
If you wish to find out about the US Constitution then I would look no further than this guide.
(Also, the Constitution Centre in Philadelphia is highly recommended too!)
Hailed by some from the most powerful nation on earth as the sacred document by which the rest of the world should organise their government the concept of a written Constitution is anathema to a Britisher. The nationalistic pride that all citizens take in their own country's ideals of law and order and governmental representation and operation makes the US Constitution mysterious to foreigners. The devotion by which it is (perceived) to be held by American citizens is also baffling.
This book does not provide a context to the reasons for the high esteem in which it is held BUT it DOES provide an excellent coverage of the far-reaching implications of the document and of all of the subsequent changes in a coherent, concise, and easily understandable format. A degree of knowledge of the working of the American governmental system would be a bonus when setting out to read this guide but the fact that the actual document you are reading IS the outline of the governmental system does not make this essential.
An appreciation of the utter simplicity of the original document is given in the guide and then a simple appreciation of how it's interpretation has such lasting implications for America and the rest of the world is then easy to grasp. Historical context is provided in detailing the various Amendments and if this contextual detail had been a little more detailed I would have awarded a 5-star rating.
If you wish to find out about the US Constitution then I would look no further than this guide.
(Also, the Constitution Centre in Philadelphia is highly recommended too!)
March 8, 2010
There are three reasons that I purchased this copy of the U.S. Constitution:
1) I have a deep and abiding love for democracy in general, and my country in specific.
2) With midterm elections coming up, and with Tea Party frenzy increasing, I felt a personal responsibility to refresh my knowledge of the nation’s most important governing document.
3) I had three bucks left to kill on a Barnes and Noble Gift Card.
The U.S. Constitution is certainly a good read. And I was way overdue to read the original text in its entirety. This edition, offering supplementary notes, bridges the gap between contemporary English and the legalese used by our Founding Fathers. I found the explanatory material helpful, to the point, and delightfully brief. Honestly, I wasn’t looking to make a deep study of this document. I simply wanted a user-friendly refresher course. That is precisely what this edition provided.
The explanatory notes offered historical context, a sense of what the framers were attempting to create/protect in each clause, and a thumbnail sketch of how specific sections have been revisited in the courts over the last two-plus centuries. I highly recommend purchasing this edition. And I am ashamed to admit only realizing after this read that the U.S. Constitution is not a long document. With an edition like this one the Constitution is easily reviewed-- especially during election years, when we the people help shape the nation’s future.
I’ll be reading this again from time to time.
1) I have a deep and abiding love for democracy in general, and my country in specific.
2) With midterm elections coming up, and with Tea Party frenzy increasing, I felt a personal responsibility to refresh my knowledge of the nation’s most important governing document.
3) I had three bucks left to kill on a Barnes and Noble Gift Card.
The U.S. Constitution is certainly a good read. And I was way overdue to read the original text in its entirety. This edition, offering supplementary notes, bridges the gap between contemporary English and the legalese used by our Founding Fathers. I found the explanatory material helpful, to the point, and delightfully brief. Honestly, I wasn’t looking to make a deep study of this document. I simply wanted a user-friendly refresher course. That is precisely what this edition provided.
The explanatory notes offered historical context, a sense of what the framers were attempting to create/protect in each clause, and a thumbnail sketch of how specific sections have been revisited in the courts over the last two-plus centuries. I highly recommend purchasing this edition. And I am ashamed to admit only realizing after this read that the U.S. Constitution is not a long document. With an edition like this one the Constitution is easily reviewed-- especially during election years, when we the people help shape the nation’s future.
I’ll be reading this again from time to time.
June 9, 2021
This "hip pocket guide" is very informative in giving a brief yet lucid description of all of the articles and amendments within the US constitution. However, I had to knock off two stars for Caroline Kennedy's introduction; saying that every American needs to "step forward and fight" for their rights is all well and good, but including and giving a platform to "Ku Klux Klan members seeking to exercise their freedom of speech" is tone-deaf at best and actively harmful at worst.
March 31, 2008
Since I go to a school that basically majors in Knowledge of History, Active Citizenship, and Democratic Deliberation, I sort of had to read this. I don’t think it was a really good read…well it’s the constitution...ok a rule book so fun! But I would recommend this handbook for people that want to go into politics.
April 16, 2008
I learn a lot about the U.S regulation and laws. This book really talks about America and it meaning. I highly recommanded that you own a copy of this great book.
April 21, 2008
I think that this is a good book if you are trying to find out your rights and what they actually mean as an American citizen
July 8, 2010
A handy-dandy little guide providing both the original document's text and a condensed version breaking down the wording.
November 2, 2011
I'm giving this 3 stars because a cheap, pocket-size copy of the Constitution is a useful thing. The "what it means" part is pretty poor, unfortunately.
September 9, 2016
A great read. Bogged down a little around the 18th amendment (Prohibition), but picked up speed again at the 21st.
Read
October 5, 2013A "more perfect" union?
MORE?
PERFECT?
Oy vey.
MORE?
PERFECT?
Oy vey.
dnf-did-not-finish
January 6, 2018Did not finish. Clearing my plate for 2018.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews