The Constitutional Convention of 1787

The first encyclopedic treatment of the personalities, politics, and events involved in drafting the U.S. Constitution. Is the Constitution a timeless document springing naturally from the ideals of the American Revolution? The pivotal moment in the formation of the country-the Constitutional Convention-featured battles among factions, compromise between ideologies, and disagreements that nearly derailed the enterprise. The product is a document that stands as the guide to governing a representative democracy. This comprehensive treatment of all the personalities, philosophies, debates, and compromises involved in drafting the U.S. Constitution is the first encyclopedic work on the subject.This book compiles all that information into an easily accessible A-Z format. Biographies of all 55 delegates, analysis of the competing political viewpoints, procedural and substantive disputes, along with a host of other details are all presented here. Both the detail and the scholarship in this book are unmatched in any other work; the encyclopedic presentation simply does not exist elsewhere. Civil liberties, the scope of authority of the three branches of government, and other constitutional matters are increasingly at the forefront of public discussion. Scholars, citizens interested in self-education, and reference librarians faced with questions about the Constitution will find in this book all they require to answer their needs.