From parchment to power : how James Madison used the Bill of Rights to save the Constitution

Goldwin, Robert A. 1922-2010 (Author).

Summary: Examines how James Madison's efforts to add the Bill of Rights to the Constitution helped save the American government from the problems that were threatening acceptance of the Constitution.

Record details

ISBN: 0844740128
ISBN: 9780844740126
ISBN: 0844740136
ISBN: 9780844740133
Physical Description: print
xiv, 213 pages ; 24 cm
Publisher: Washington, DC : AEI Press, 1997.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 185-205) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Constitution making, now and then: an introduction : The compelling reasons for Constitution writing ; 1789 and its consequences ; The American experience ; The plan of the book -- pt. 1. How to ratify a Constitution. 1. Philadelphia: the last days of summer, 1787 : Obstacles to ratification ; Evasions and solutions ; Another Constitutional convention? ; Achieving "unanimous consent" -- 2. New York: the Continental Congress and the quest for unanimity : More feeble than fearful ; The appearance of unanimity -- 3. The states: the politics of ratification : Early, easy victories ; Massachusetts, prospect of defeat ; The turning point ; Virginia, sharply and evenly divided ; New York, sharply and unevenly divided -- Reflections on part 1 -- pt. 2. How Madison became the Father of the Bill of Rights. 4. "What use can a Bill of Rights serve?" A Madison-Jefferson dialogue : Madison's report to Jefferson ; Jefferson's campaign for a Bill of Rights ; Madison favors a Bill of Rights ; The oppressive potential of a republican majority ; The contents of the Bill of Rights ; How Madison persuaded himself -- 5. "To introduce the great work": Congressman Madison takes the floor : Madison's surprising role ; The threat of a second convention ; Why consider amendments now ; Madison's strategy ; Madison's proposed amendments ; No guarantees ; The purpose of the pre-Preamble ; The significant selection ; The goal of a Bill of Rights -- Reflections on part 2 -- pt. 3. Closing the parenthesis. 6. "Rats and anti-rats": the debate begins : Procedural inertia ; Madison gets things started ; The pre-Preamble ; Elbridge Gerry's rancor ; Samuel Livermore's contribution ; The right to instruct representatives ; Attack and counterattack ; The anti-Federalists accuse ; Madison responds ; Voting without discussing -- 7. "Those solid and substantial amendments," all defeated : The Second Amendment ; What the anti-Federalists were for ; The issue of direct taxation ; The issue of executive powers ; The issue of religion -- 8. "Kill the opposition, every where" : Where to place the amendments ; The right to bear arms ; The declaration and the Constitution ; Two-thirds of both Houses ; The "nauseous project" ; Persuading a state legislator ; The practical politician and the Constitution maker -- 9. Fisheries, post roads, and ratifications : The House concludes debate ; The senators as copy editors ; The evolution of the establishment clause ; The anti-Federalists vote no -- On to the state legislatures ; Virginia takes a stand ; Jefferson announces ratification -- Reflections on part three : The transforming power ; We the people ; The people article ; A portrait of the people ; Are we that people? ; Closing the parenthesis.