The Essential Debate on the Constitution

The Essential Debate on the Constitution PDF Author: Bernard Bailyn
Publisher: Library of America
ISBN: 1598535870
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 500

Get Book

Book Description
Return to the nation's founding to rediscover the dramatic original debates--on presidential power, religious liberty, foreign corruption, and more--that still shape our world today When the Constitutional Convention adjourned on September 17, 1787, few Americans anticipated the document that emerged from its secret proceedings. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and the other framers had fashioned something radically new, a strong national government with broad powers. A fierce storm of argument soon broke out in advance of the state ratifying conventions that would decide the new plan's fate as Federalist supporters, Antifederalist opponents, and seekers of a middle ground praised, condemned, challenged, and analyzed the new Constitution. Here, in chronological order, are more than sixty newspaper articles, pamphlets, speeches, and private letters written or delivered during this ratification debate. Along with familiar figures such as Madison, Hamilton, and Patrick Henry, are dozens of lesser-known but equally engaged and passionate participants. The most famous writings of the period--especially the key Federalist essays--are placed in context alongside the arguments of insightful Antifederalists such as "Brutus" and the "Federal Farmer." Crucial issues quickly take center stage--the need for a Bill of Rights, the controversial compromises over slavery and the slave trade, whether religious tests should be imposed--and on questions that continue to engage and divide Americans: the relationship between the national government and the states, the dangers of unchecked presidential power and the remedy of impeachment, the proper role of the Supreme Court, fears of foreign and domestic corruption, and the persistent challenge of making representative government work in a large and diverse nation.

The Essential Debate on the Constitution

The Essential Debate on the Constitution PDF Author: Bernard Bailyn
Publisher: Library of America
ISBN: 1598535870
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 500

Get Book

Book Description
Return to the nation's founding to rediscover the dramatic original debates--on presidential power, religious liberty, foreign corruption, and more--that still shape our world today When the Constitutional Convention adjourned on September 17, 1787, few Americans anticipated the document that emerged from its secret proceedings. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and the other framers had fashioned something radically new, a strong national government with broad powers. A fierce storm of argument soon broke out in advance of the state ratifying conventions that would decide the new plan's fate as Federalist supporters, Antifederalist opponents, and seekers of a middle ground praised, condemned, challenged, and analyzed the new Constitution. Here, in chronological order, are more than sixty newspaper articles, pamphlets, speeches, and private letters written or delivered during this ratification debate. Along with familiar figures such as Madison, Hamilton, and Patrick Henry, are dozens of lesser-known but equally engaged and passionate participants. The most famous writings of the period--especially the key Federalist essays--are placed in context alongside the arguments of insightful Antifederalists such as "Brutus" and the "Federal Farmer." Crucial issues quickly take center stage--the need for a Bill of Rights, the controversial compromises over slavery and the slave trade, whether religious tests should be imposed--and on questions that continue to engage and divide Americans: the relationship between the national government and the states, the dangers of unchecked presidential power and the remedy of impeachment, the proper role of the Supreme Court, fears of foreign and domestic corruption, and the persistent challenge of making representative government work in a large and diverse nation.

Ratification

Ratification PDF Author: Pauline Maier
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0684868555
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 608

Get Book

Book Description
The dramatic story of the debate over the ratification of the Constitution, the first new account of this seminal moment in American history in years.

The Debate on the Constitution: Federalist and Antifederalist Speeches, Article s, and Letters During the Struggle over Ratification Vol. 2 (LOA #63)

The Debate on the Constitution: Federalist and Antifederalist Speeches, Article s, and Letters During the Struggle over Ratification Vol. 2 (LOA #63) PDF Author: Various
Publisher: Library of America
ISBN: 1598531182
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 1023

Get Book

Book Description
Here, on a scale unmatched by any previous collection, is the extraordinary energy and eloquence of our first national political campaign: During the secret proceedings of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the framers created a fundamentally new national plan to replace the Articles of Confederation and then submitted it to conventions in each state for ratification. Immediately, a fierce storm of argument broke. Federalist supporters, Antifederalist opponents, and seekers of a middle ground strove to balance public order and personal liberty as they praised, condemned, challenged, and analyzed the new Constitution Gathering hundreds of original texts by Franklin, Madison, Jefferson, Washington, and Patrick Henry—as well as many others less well known today—this unrivaled collection allows readers to experience firsthand the intense year-long struggle that created what remains the world’s oldest working national charter. Assembled here in chronological order are hundreds of newspaper articles, pamphlets, speeches, and private letters written or delivered in the aftermath of the Constitutional Convention. Along with familiar figures like Franklin, Madison, Patrick Henry, Jefferson, and Washington, scores of less famous citizens are represented, all speaking clearly and passionately about government. The most famous writings of the ratification struggle — the Federalist essays of Hamilton and Madison — are placed in their original context, alongside the arguments of able antagonists, such as "Brutus" and the "Federal Farmer." Part Two gathers collected press polemics and private commentaries from January to August 1788, including all the amendments proposed by state ratifying conventions as well as dozens of speeches from the South Carolina, Virginia, New York, and North Carolina conventions. Included are dramatic confrontations from Virginia, where Patrick Henry pitted his legendary oratorical skills against the persuasive logic of Madison, and from New York, where Alexander Hamilton faced the brilliant Antifederalist Melancton Smith. Informative notes, biographical profiles of all writers, speakers, and recipients, and a detailed chronology of relevant events from 1774 to 1804 provide fascinating background. A general index allows readers to follow specific topics, and an appendix includes the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution (with all amendments). LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

The Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers PDF Author: Alexander Hamilton
Publisher: Read Books Ltd
ISBN: 1528785878
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 455

Get Book

Book Description
Classic Books Library presents this brand new edition of “The Federalist Papers”, a collection of separate essays and articles compiled in 1788 by Alexander Hamilton. Following the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776, the governing doctrines and policies of the States lacked cohesion. “The Federalist”, as it was previously known, was constructed by American statesman Alexander Hamilton, and was intended to catalyse the ratification of the United States Constitution. Hamilton recruited fellow statesmen James Madison Jr., and John Jay to write papers for the compendium, and the three are known as some of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Alexander Hamilton (c. 1755–1804) was an American lawyer, journalist and highly influential government official. He also served as a Senior Officer in the Army between 1799-1800 and founded the Federalist Party, the system that governed the nation’s finances. His contributions to the Constitution and leadership made a significant and lasting impact on the early development of the nation of the United States.

Federalists and Antifederalists

Federalists and Antifederalists PDF Author: John P. Kaminski
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 9780945612582
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 244

Get Book

Book Description
For a quarter of a century between 1763 and 1788, Americans intensely debated the nature of government and the need to protect individual liberties. The debate climaxed in the arguments over the ratification of the Constitution. Through a selection of essential documents from 1787 and 1788, this new edition gives readers the flavor and immediacy of the great debate in all its fire, brilliance, and political intensity. Organized by topic, this is a convenient reference and teaching tool. This updated edition contains an entirely new section on the debate over class structure, property rights, and the economy under the proposed Constitution--an ideal introduction to a debate meaningful today.

The Essential Antifederalist

The Essential Antifederalist PDF Author: William B. Allen
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
ISBN: 0742578674
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 377

Get Book

Book Description
At the pivotal moment in the history of the United States of America, ratification of the Constitution was championed by James Madison, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton in a series of newspaper articles known as the Federalist Papers. In answer to these arguments and as a way of pointing up flaws and weaknesses in the Constitution itself, a number of political thinkers (who mostly used pseudonyms) argued against ratification through articles and speeches which have collectively come to be known as the 'Antifederalist Papers.' This edited collection of readings from Antifederalist thought was first published in 1985. Here presented with a completely revised and updated interpretive essay from the editors and expanded to cover the period of the founding from 1776-91, this book is the most complete one-volume collection of its kind.

Debates on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution

Debates on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution PDF Author: Jonathan Elliot
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Constitutional history
Languages : en
Pages : 680

Get Book

Book Description


TIME The Constitution

TIME The Constitution PDF Author: Editors of TIME Magazine
Publisher: Time Home Entertainment
ISBN: 1603204636
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 139

Get Book

Book Description
Americans have debated the Constitution since the day it was signed, but rarely in its 223-year history have so many disagreed so fiercely about so much. Everywher there seems to be a debate about the Constitution's meaning and message. The Tea Party, with its almost fanatical focus on the founding documents, contends that its primary purpse is to restrain the federeal government—but does it really say that? Among scholars, some believe the Constitution should be interpreted exactly as the framers wrote it, while others analyze the text just as closely to find the elasticity they believe the framers had in mind. But how could the founding fathers know about the world today, with DNA, sexting, airplanes, TV, Medicare, computers and Lady Gaga? In this probing and accessible book, TIME's editors bring the founding document to life, showing how it was written in a spirit of change and revolution and turbulence. With an introduction by one of America's top jurists, an essay by TIME managing editor Richard Stengel (former president of the National Constitution Center), and the full text of the 8,000-word Constitution annotated to show its most controversial passages and little-known quirks, TIME's compact volume will be an indespensable guide for the well-informed citizen.

Friends of the Constitution

Friends of the Constitution PDF Author: Colleen A. Sheehan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 412

Get Book

Book Description
There were many writers other than John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton who, in 1787 and 1788, argued for the Constitution's ratification. In a collection central to our understanding of the American founding, Friends of the Constitution brings together forty-nine of the most important of these "other" Federalists' writings. Colleen A. Sheehan is Professor of Political Science at Villanova University. Gary L. McDowell is the Tyler Haynes Interdisciplinary Professor of Leadership Studies, Political Science, and Law at the University of Richmond in Virginia. From 1992 to 2003 he was the Director of the Institute of United States Studies in the University of London.

The Debate on the Constitution

The Debate on the Constitution PDF Author: Independently Published
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 439

Get Book

Book Description
This edition has all the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Speeches, Articles, and Letters During the Struggle over Ratification 1787-1788.The Complete Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers written by Alexander Hamilton & James Madison & John Jay and Patrick Henry among other Founding Fathers is widely considered by many to be among the most important historical collections of all time. **The Federalist (later known as The Federalist Papers) is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton,James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution. Thefirst 77 of these essays were published serially in the Independent Journal, the New York Packet, and The Daily Advertiserbetween October 1787 and April 1788.A two-volume compilation of these 77 essays and eight others was published as TheFederalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, as Agreed upon by the Federal Convention,September 17, 1787 by publishing firm J. & A. McLean in March and May 1788. The collection was commonly known as TheFederalist until the name The Federalist Papers emerged in the 20th century. **Anti-Federalist Papers is the collective name given to works written by the Founding Fathers who were opposed to orconcerned with the merits of the United States Constitution of 1787. Starting on 25 September 1787 (8 days after the final draftof the US Constitution) and running through the early 1790s, these anti-Federalists published a series of essays arguing againsta stronger and more energetic union as embodied in the new Constitution. Although less influential than their counterparts,The Federalist Papers, these works nonetheless played an important role in shaping the early American political landscape andin the passage of the US Bill of Rights.