First published 1985
McDonald examines the intellectual foundations that shaped America's Constitutional Convention of 1787. He reconstructs the complete worldview of the Founding Fathers, exploring their grasp of law, history, political philosophy, and economics alongside their practical experience in government. The book analyzes how these men behaved during the convention based on this reconstructed intellectual context. McDonald argues that while the Framers drew from various ideological and philosophical traditions as they worked to create their "new order of the ages," they relied most heavily on their own lived experience, practical wisdom, and common sense rather than abstract theory. This represents the first major scholarly interpretation of constitutional framing to emerge in over twenty years. The work offers readers a comprehensive understanding of both the ideas and real-world knowledge that guided the creation of the American constitutional system.
Genres: history, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, academic, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction, political-thriller
Period: 20th-Century
10 pages · Audio Cassette · Blackstone Pub