The Constitutional Convention

by George H. Smith

In 1783, America emerged from a long and bitter war for Independence. The thirteen colonies were now thirteen sovereign states, bound together by the Articles of Confederation. After years of war, men like Thomas Jefferson saw the possibility of something new under the a government which derived its just power from the consent of those governed. But the Continental Congress was bankrupt from the war, and many of the thirteen states refused to contribute money or to cooperate with each other. In May 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia to attend a convention. After more than three months of passionate debate, conflict, and compromise, the United States Constitution was passed, establishing a national government. But to become the law of the land, the Constitution had to be independently ratified by at least nine of the thirteen states.

Genres: History, Government

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

George Hamilton Smith was an American author, editor, educator, and speaker, known for his writings on atheism and libertarianism.

Reviews

[Boris Feldman]

Superb. Unbiased.

[AttackGirl]

Perhaps all the people rioting, stealing others property cheering for mob rule should read more about how long it took to get a civilized land in the USA.

[Toni]

This is a nice, concise account of the Constitutional Convention.

[Jane]

I forgot my history lessons, if they ever covered this topic in such detail. The founding fathers had much debate and controversy over such matters as the common man's opinion, the flawed nature of democracy and the entitlement of men of property. A good refresher for contemporary debate.