To rescue the Constitution : George Washington and the fragile American experiment / Bret Baier with Catherine Whitney.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Baier, Bret, author.

Whitney, Catherine, 1950- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Washington, George, 1732-1799.

Washington, George.

United States. Constitutional Convention (1787).

United States.

Presidents--United States--Biography.

Presidents.

United States--History--1783-1815.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xix, 360 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Mariner Books, [2023]

Summary:

George Washington rescued the nation three times: first by leading the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War, second by presiding over the Constitutional Convention that set the blueprint for the United States and ushering the Constitution through a fractious ratification process, and third by leading the nation as its first president. After the War of Independence, the states were no more than a loosely knit and contentious confederation with no strong central union. At the calling of a Constitutional Convention to meet in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787, Washington set aside his plan to retire to Mount Vernon and agreed to be a delegate. As president of the convention he successfully brought the Constitution into being. Washington then sacrificed any hope of returning to private life by accepting the unanimous election to be the nation's first president. Baier captures the critical moments when Washington's leadership brought the nation from the brink of collapse -- Adapted from jacket

Contents:

Introduction: Our common ground

Prologue: Where are the delegates?

Part one: The making of Washington. A stroke of destiny

The king's uniform

Breaking point

The colonies convene

Part two: The call for independence. The command

"Victory or death"

Washington's crucible

The final fight

Part three: Rescuing the constitution. The unraveling union

The scaffold of a republic

We have a constitution

The people decide

Part four: The living republic. The first term

The gift of a peaceful transition

Afterword: In their footsteps

Appendix: Washington's farewell address.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 329-345) and index.

ISBN:

9780063039582

0063039583

OCLC:

1399430874