In this famous study, the author turned the hagiography of many earlier American historians on its head. Unlike those writers, who had stressed idealistic impulses as factors determining the structure of the American government, Beard questioned the Founding Fathers' motivations in drafting the Constitution and viewed the results as a product of economic self-interest. Brimming with human interest, insights, and information every student of American...

Americans revere their Constitution. However, most of us are unaware how tumultuous and improbable the drafting and ratification processes were. As Benjamin Franklin keenly observed, any assembly of men bring with them "all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests and their selfish views." One need not deny that the Framers had good intentions in order to believe that they also had interests. Based on prodigious...

How do Americans state what they believe in, how their representative government works, and more? By writing it down! Investigate great documents that have shaped United States history, including the U.S. Constitution. Find out who wrote it, what it says, and why it remains important today. Read all about this remarkable document that helped form a nation. Includes a support page of teaching tips for caregivers and teachers. Downloadable Teacher's...

The ultimate guide to the US Constitution--and the history of the US through the law of the land--for middle grade readers ages 10+. The book decodes the original document with a direct translation of the text, dissecting every word, phrase and idea. Then it connects the document to major historical figures and events using full-color illustrations and examples of how the document works in practice.

"From Illinois to Alabama, and from Florida to Utah, our laws and legal debates arise from distinctive local settings within our vast and varied nation. As the renowned scholar Akhil Amar explains, Abraham Lincoln's argument against the legality of succession can be traced to his Midwestern upbringing, just as a close look at the Florida legislature and state Supreme Court reveals the fundamental wrongness of the Bush v. Gore decision. Amar profiles...

Discusses the need in 1787 for a new Constitution, the problems, personalities, and conflicts that helped shape it, and the struggle for its ratification.