Table of Contents
Selective Chronology vii
The U.S. Constitution's Antecedents 1
Introduction 1
Magna Carta 2
Early Constitutions 4
Reasons For Emigration 6
Revolution In England 8
Revolutionary Colony Constitutions 13
Counter-Revolution To Glorious Revolution
Transition 18
Declaration Op Independence 19
State Constitutions 22
Revolution & Rights 24
Articles Op Confederation, Pro And Con 25
Shays' Rebellion And Rhode Island 27
Reaction To Shays' Rebellion 28
Making The Constitution 29
Convention Preludes 29
Convention Opens 31
Virginia Plan, Checks And Balances 33
Arguments Over Democracy 34
Alternatives 35
Great Compromise 36
Convention Wrap Up 37
After Signing 38
The Federalists 40
Anti-Federalists 42
More Reservations 43
Ratification 44
Legitimation 46
Bill Of Rights 48
Arguing Over The Constitution 52
Interpretation 52
The States Respond 54
The Revolution Op 1800 55
Marbury V. Madison 57
The Decision 58
Marshall 60
Alternatives To Marbury 62
Jackson 64
Judicial Retreat 66
Transition 68
Warring Over The Constitution 69
Slavery 69
Dred Scott 71
War Issues 73
War 74
Resolution 75
Emancipation 77
Reconstruction 78
Impeaching Johnson 79
Supreme Court Tap-Dances 81
Supreme Court Guts The 14th Amendment 83
Years Of Reaction 85
The Compromise Op 1877 85
The Lawyers Take Over 87
The People Fight Back 92
World War I 95
Democracy At Home Killed To
"Save Democracy" Abroad 96
More Amendments 98
Supreme Court Backs Reaction 100
Tapt And Hughes 102
The Depression 104
Years Op Reform 105
The New Deal 105
The Judicial Revolution Op 1937 107
The New Court: Closures 109
The New Court: Openings 110
War Again 111
Fdr's Second Bill Of Rights 113
Truman 115
Red Scares 116
Earl Warren 119
Brown V. Board Of Education 120
Reactions 122
Black Mobilization 124
Children 126
And Women 127
More Judicial Progress 128
Reaction Redux 130
Tides Of History 130
Reaction Re-Organizes 132
The Nixon Wave 134
The Reagan (Counter) Revolution 136
The 20th Century Ends 139
The 21st Century Begins 141
Evaluation 145
We The People 145
A More Perfect Union 146
Justice 147
Tranqurlity 148
The Common Defense 149
Welfare 151
The Blessings of Liberty 153
Future 154
Further Reading 156
The U.S. Constitution 159