Creating the Constitution: The Convention of 1787 and the First Congress [Paperback]

Thornton Anderson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0271009209 | ISBN-13: 978-0271009209 | Publication Date: February 1, 1994

An analysis of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the role of the First Congress in the founding of the American political system. This work is derived largely from a reading of Farrand's "Records" and the "Annals of Congress".

Editorial Reviews

Review

In a lucid discussion that compares the debates in the Constitutional Convention with those in the First U.S. Congress, Anderson very effectively combines factor analytical techniques with close textual analysis to uncover the presence of a hitherto undetected group in the Convention that he labels 'state Federalists.' This third group, which defended a middle ground between the state sovereignty and nationalist positions, was highly influential and largely responsible for the creation of a balanced federal system. The weakness of this group in the First Congress, Anderson argues, led to legislation and an evolved ideology that irrevocably changed the operation of the U.S. Constitution to a system significantly at variance with that agreed upon at the Convention. This is an original, interesting, and useful analysis of the role of the First Congress in the founding of the American political system. Anderson's book will undoubtedly engender some controversy, but it should also lead to a reconsideration of the Constitutional Convention as the defining moment in the creation of the American republic. --Donald S. Lutz, University of Houston --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Thornton Anderson is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Maryland and author of several books, including Russian Political Thought (Cornell, 1967) and Brooks Adams: Constructive Conservative (Cornell, 1951).

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Pennsylvania State Univ (February 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0271009209
• ISBN-13: 978-0271009209
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,596,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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