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."
關於作者:
Richard Beeman is a professor of history at the University of
Pennsylvania and the author of five previous books on the history
of revolutionary America; his biography of Patrick Henry was a
finalist for the National Book Award. He has received awards from,
among others, the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Endowment
for the Humanities, and he has served as Harmsworth Professor of
American History at Oxford University. He also serves as a trustee
and vice-chair of the Distinguished Scholars Panel of the National
Constitution Center. Richard Beeman lives in Philadelphia.