The summer of 1787 : the men who invented the Constitution / David O. Stewart.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Stewart, David O.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Constitutional Convention (1787).

United States.

Constitutional history--United States.

Constitutional history.

Constitutional conventions.

History.

Constitutional conventions--United States--History--18th century.

United States. Constitution--Signers--Biography.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xi, 349 pages : illustrations, map, portraits ; 25 cm

Other Title:

Men who invented the constitution

Place of Publication:

New York : Simon & Schuster, [2007]

Summary:

The successful creation of the Constitution is a suspense story. This book takes us into the sweltering room in which delegates struggled for four months to produce the flawed but enduring document that would define the nation. George Washington presided, James Madison kept the notes, Benjamin Franklin offered wisdom and humor at crucial times. At different points, more than half of the delegates threatened to walk out, and some actually did. It was a desperate balancing act. Revolutionary principles required that the people have power, but could the people be trusted? Would a stronger central government leave room for the states? And what of slavery? The supercharged debates over America's original sin led to the most creative and most disappointing political deals of the Convention. In a country continually arguing over the document's original intent, it is fascinating to watch these powerful characters struggle toward consensus.--From publisher description.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 285-334) and index.

ISBN:

9780743286923

0743286928

OCLC:

74354113

Online:

Publisher description