America's Constitution: A BiographyIn America's Constitution, one of this era's most accomplished constitutional law scholars, Akhil Reed Amar, gives the first comprehensive account of one of the world's great political texts. Incisive, entertaining, and occasionally controversial, this "biography" of America's framing document explains not only what the Constitution says but also why the Constitution says it. We all know this much: the Constitution is neither immutable nor perfect. Amar shows us how the story of this one relatively compact document reflects the story of America more generally. (For example, much of the Constitution, including the glorious-sounding "We the People," was lifted from existing American legal texts, including early state constitutions.) In short, the Constitution was as much a product of its environment as it was a product of its individual creators' inspired genius. Despite the Constitution's flaws, its role in guiding our republic has been nothing short of amazing. Skillfully placing the document in the context of late-eighteenth-century American politics, America's Constitution explains, for instance, whether there is anything in the Constitution that is unamendable; the reason America adopted an electoral college; why a president must be at least thirty-five years old; and why-for now, at least-only those citizens who were born under the American flag can become president. From his unique perspective, Amar also gives us unconventional wisdom about the Constitution and its significance throughout the nation's history. For one thing, we see that the Constitution has been far more democratic than is conventionally understood. Even though the document was drafted by white landholders, a remarkably large number of citizens (by the standards of 1787) were allowed to vote up or down on it, and the document's later amendments eventually extended the vote to virtually all Americans. We also learn that the Founders' Constitution was far more slavocratic than many would acknowledge: the "three fifths" clause gave the South extra political clout for every slave it owned or acquired. As a result, slaveholding Virginians held the presidency all but four of the Republic's first thirty-six years, and proslavery forces eventually came to dominate much of the federal government prior to Lincoln's election. Ambitious, even-handed, eminently accessible, and often surprising, America's Constitution is an indispensable work, bound to become a standard reference for any student of history and all citizens of the United States. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - dasam - LibraryThingThis is a must read, especially with the debates that rage regarding how the constitution applies to a given social or political issue, The author describes each article and amendment within its historical and political context. You learn from each page. Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - JVioland - LibraryThingIf only this book were required reading in all government classes whether high school or college. Americans are woefully deficient in understanding their unique form of government. Read full review
Contents
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 2 |
Section 3 | 4 |
Section 4 | 5 |
Section 5 | 55 |
Section 6 | 99 |
Section 7 | 101 |
Section 8 | 128 |
Section 17 | 285 |
Section 18 | 313 |
Section 19 | 315 |
Section 20 | 348 |
Section 21 | 349 |
Section 22 | 401 |
Section 23 | 402 |
Section 24 | 405 |
Section 9 | 129 |
Section 10 | 174 |
Section 11 | 177 |
Section 12 | 206 |
Section 13 | 207 |
Section 14 | 246 |
Section 15 | 247 |
Section 16 | 284 |
Section 25 | 431 |
Section 26 | 432 |
Section 27 | 465 |
Section 28 | 479 |
Section 29 | 500 |
Section 30 | 629 |
Section 31 | 630 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Adams allowed Amendment American Article authority Bill blacks branch citizens civil claim clause clear colonial Confederation Congress congressional Const Constitution continental convention Debates decision delegates democratic direct document early effect election electors enacted equal executive fact federal Federalist first follow foreign Founding future give governor House impeachment independent issue judges judicial jury land language later legislative legislature less limited Lincoln Madison majority matter ment military never North Northwest Ordinance Note office ofthe opening ordinary original party person Philadelphia political practice precise president presidential principles proposed question ratification Representatives republican rules Senate serve similar slavery slaves South Southern statute structure suffrage Supreme Court term tion treaty ultimately union United veto vice president vote voters Washington Wilson women York
Bibliographic information
| Title | America's Constitution: A Biography |
| Author | Akhil Reed Amar |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Random House, 2005 |
| ISBN | 1400062624, 9781400062621 |
| Length | 657 pages |
| Subjects | › Political Science / Constitutions |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |