The Constitution : an introduction
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The Constitution : an introduction
Basic Books, c2015
- : hbk
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Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. 325-333) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
From war powers to health care, freedom of speech to gun ownership, religious liberty to abortion, practically every aspect of American life is shaped by the Constitution. This vital document, along with its history of political and judicial interpretation, governs our individual lives and the life of our nation. Yet most of us know surprisingly little about the Constitution itself, and are woefully unprepared to think for ourselves about recent developments in its long and storied history. The Constitution: An Introduction is the definitive modern primer on the US Constitution. Michael Stokes Paulsen, one of the nation's most provocative and accomplished scholars of the Constitution, and his son Luke Paulsen, a gifted young writer and lay scholar, have combined to write a lively introduction to the supreme law of the United States, covering the Constitution's history and meaning in clear, accessible terms.Beginning with the Constitution's birth in 1787, Paulsen and Paulsen offer a grand tour of its provisions, principles, and interpretation, introducing readers to the characters and controversies that have shaped the Constitution in the 200-plus years since its creation. Along the way, the authors provide correctives to the shallow myths and partial truths that pervade so much popular treatment of the Constitution, from school textbooks to media accounts of today's controversies, and offer powerful insights into the Constitution's true meaning.A lucid and engaging guide, The Constitution: An Introduction provides readers with the tools to think critically and independently about constitutional issues,a skill that is ever more essential to the continued flourishing of American democracy.
Table of Contents
Part I: The Written Constitution 1. Upheaval The Revolutionary Creation of the US Constitution 2. Superstructure The Framers' Grand Design 3. Powers The Sweeping Powers of Congress, the President, and the Courts 4. Slavery The Constitution's Collusion with Evil 5. Freedoms The Enactment and Meaning of the Bill of Rights Part II: Living the Constitution 6. Infancy Defining Controversies in the Constitution's Early Years (1790-1860) 7. Crisis Lincoln, the Civil War, and Reconstruction (1860-1876) 8. Betrayal The Supreme Court's Abandonment of the Constitution (1876-1936) 9. Restoration The Constitution Through Depression, World War, and Segregation (1936-1960) 10. Controversy The Modern Era of Judicial Activism (1960-2015) Coda: Lessons for the Twenty-First Century
by "Nielsen BookData"