From Library Journal
Grade 6-8-The authors examine the lives of 10 of the 55 delegates to the National Convention of 1787: John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, James Madison, George Mason, Gouverneur Morris, William Paterson, and Roger Sherman. This selection is diverse geographically as well as politically and socially. The delegates' backgrounds are conveyed, as are their unique perspectives on government. Information is presented in a straightforward manner and the text is clearly written, though somewhat dry. Black-and-white reproductions of formal portraits or busts of each subject are included. Although the authors try to balance the portrayals, it is often done subtly. For example, they mention that in 1802 ugly rumors were circulating in Federalist newspapers about Jefferson's private life, but no mention is ever made of the nature of these rumors or the subject behind them. Despite this flaw, the book provides a general overview of the roles and contributions of a representative group of delegates in laying the foundation of this country.
Jeanette Lambert, Nashville Metropolitan Schools, TN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Jeanette Lambert, Nashville Metropolitan Schools, TN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
