The Constitution before the judgment seat : the prehistory and ratification of the American Constitution, 1787-1791 / Jürgen Heideking ; edited by John P. Kaminski and Richard Leffler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Heideking, Jürgen, 1947-2000.

Contributor:

Kaminski, John P.

Leffler, Richard.

Standardized Title:

Verfassung vor dem Richterstuhl. English

Language:

English

German

Subjects (All):

Constitutional history--United States.

Constitutional history.

United States.

United States--Politics and government--1783-1809.

Politics and government.

United States--Intellectual life--18th century.

Intellectual life.

United States. Constitutional Convention (1787).

Physical Description:

xxviii, 552 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Charlottesville : University of Virginia Press, 2012.

Language Note:

Originally published in German as Die Verfassung vor dem Richterstuhl in 1988.

Summary:

In the late 18th century, the national discussion triggered by the ratification of the US Constitution in each state of the new nation set the stage for the political, economic, and cultural development of the US under the new system of government. This study presents the ratification debate as a complex event involving all strata of society at the national, state, and local levels. The author details the ratification debate's effects on public and private life and its role in the shift from a traditional to a modern society. Of special interest is a chapter detailing the public celebrations surrounding ratification. This abridged and edited translation contains a new introduction summarizing Heideking's ideas on the Constitution and a discussion of factors influencing Heideking's perspective. Author Heideking was a historian. Editors Kaminski and Leffler are affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The book was first published in German in 1988 as Die Verfassung vor dem Richterstuhl: Vorgeschichte und Ratifizierung der Amerikanischen Verfassung, 1787-1791, by Walter de Gruyer GmBH and Co., KG Berlin. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

Ratification chronology, 1786-1791

Introduction: the historical significance of the debate over the American Constitution

Historical background

Public discourses and private correspondence

The debate over basic principles

Party formation and convention elections

State ratifying conventions

Republican festive culture

The creation of the Bill of Rights

Conclusion: Constitution-making as a political and cultural process: America's debate over the Constitution and the French Revolution.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780813931746

0813931746

OCLC:

708648736