Ratification:ThePeopleDebatetheConstitution,1787-1788
- 作者
- 出版社 Simon&Schuster
- 出版时间 2010年10月
- ISBN 9780684868547
- 定价 213.60
内容简介
WhenthedelegateslefttheConstitutionalConventioninPhiladelphiainSeptember1787,thenewConstitutiontheyhadwrittenwasnomorethanaproposal.Electedconventionsinatleastnineofthethirteenstateswouldhavetoratifyitbeforeitcouldtakeeffect.Therewasreasontodoubtwhetherthatwouldhappen.Thedocumentwereveretodayasthefoundationofourcountry’slaws,thecornerstoneofourlegalsystem,washotlydisputedatthetime.SomeAmericansdenouncedtheConstitutionforthreateningthelibertythatAmericanshadwonatgreatcostintheRevolutionaryWar.OnegroupoffiercelypatrioticopponentsevenburnedthedocumentinaraucouspublicdemonstrationontheFourthofJuly.Inthissplendidnewhistory,PaulineMaiertellsthedramaticstoryoftheyearlongbattleoverratificationthatbroughtsuchfamousfoundersasWashington,Hamilton,Madison,Jay,andHenrytogetherwithlesswell-knownAmericanswhosometimeseloquentlyandalwayspassionatelyexpressedtheirhopesandfearsfortheirnewcountry.Menarguedintavernsandcoffeehouses;womenjoinedthedebateintheirparlors;broadsidesandnewspaperstoriesadvocatedvariouspointsofviewandexcoriatedothers.Insmalltownsandcountiesacrossthecountrypeoplereadthedocumentcarefullyandknewitwell.Americansseizedtheopportunitytoplayaroleinshapingthenewnation.Thentheratifyingconventionschosenby"WethePeople"scrutinizedanddebatedtheConstitutionclausebyclause.AlthoughmanybookshavebeenwrittenabouttheConstitutionalConvention,thisisthefirstmajorhistoryofratification.Itdrawsonavastnewcollectionofdocumentsandtellsthestorywithmasterfulattentiontodetailinadynamicnarrative.Eachstate’sexperiencewasdifferent,andMaiergiveseachitsdueevenasshefocusesonthefourcriticalstatesofPennsylvania,Massachusetts,Virginia,andNewYork,whoseapprovaloftheConstitutionwascrucialtoitssuccess.TheNewYorkerGilbertLivingstoncalledhisparticipationintheratificationconventionthegreatesttransactionofhislife.Thehundredsofdelegatestotheratifyingconventionstooktheirresponsibilityseriously,andtheircarefulinspectionoftheConstitutioncantellusmuchtodayaboutadocumentwhosemeaningcontinuestobesubjecttointerpretation.Ratificationisthestoryofthefoundingdramaofournation,superblytoldinahistorythattransportsreadersbackmorethantwocenturiestorevealtheconvictionsandaspirationsonwhichourcountrywasbuilt.
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