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  • Published: 17 March 2009
  • ISBN: 9781588367266
  • Imprint: RH US eBook Adult
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 544

Plain, Honest Men

The Making of the American Constitution





In May 1787, in an atmosphere of crisis, delegates met in Philadelphia to design a radically new form of government. Distinguished historian Richard Beeman captures as never before the dynamic of the debate and the characters of the men who labored that historic summer. Virtually all of the issues in dispute—the extent of presidential power, the nature of federalism, and, most explosive of all, the role of slavery—have continued to provoke conflict throughout our nation's history. This unprecedented book takes readers behind the scenes to show how the world's most enduring constitution was forged through conflict, compromise, and fragile consensus. As Gouverneur Morris, delegate of Pennsylvania, noted: "While some have boasted it as a work from Heaven, others have given it a less righteous origin. I have many reasons to believe that it is the work of plain, honest men."

  • Published: 17 March 2009
  • ISBN: 9781588367266
  • Imprint: RH US eBook Adult
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 544

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