| Description |
1 online resource (xxi, 378 pages) |
| Contents |
Foreword / Richard B. Morris -- The First American Constitutions -- Republicanism, Federalism, and Constitutionalism -- The English Constitution in the Eighteenth Century -- The Colonists' Theory of Empire -- The American Concept of a Constitution -- The Founding Spirit -- Government by Congresses and Committees, 1773-1776 -- The Assumption of Power -- Units of Revolutionary Action -- A Case Study: The Assumption of Power in Massachusetts -- The Committees of Correspondence and the First Continental Congress -- The End of Government by Congresses and Committees -- The Role of the Continental Congress, 1775-1776 -- Massachusetts Requests Advice -- A Model Constitution for All the States? -- The Initiatives of New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Virginia -- The Resolution of May 10 and 15, 1776 -- "Choosing Deputies to Form a Government": The Making of the First State Constitutions -- Organizing the "Constituent Power" -- Connecticut and Rhode Island -- The State Constitutions, 1776-1780 -- Constituent Power on the Frontier -- Practical Limits of the Constituent Power -- "Republic" and "Democracy" in Political Rhetoric -- "Republican" as a Smear Word -- Criticism of Monarchical Government -- Avowal of Republicanism -- "Republic" and "Democracy" as Synonyms -- The Federalists' Usage in 1787 -- Forms versus Principles of Government: Harnessing Enlightenment Ideas to Anglo-American Institutions -- Forms versus Principles -- Thomas Paine and John Adams -- Ten Principles of Republican Government -- Popular Sovereignty |
| Summary |
For the last twenty years this book has been cited by every serious writer on early American constitutional development. Any constitutional history of the independent United States must begin with this comprehensive study. This volume contains two new chapters: one demonstrating precedents in the state constitutions for the U.S. Constitution, and another chapter critically testing the 'republicanism over liberalism' thesis against political ideas and institutional arrangements that constitute the first state constitutions |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 332-365) and index |
| Notes |
Print version record |
| Subject |
Constitutional history -- United States -- States
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LAW -- Constitutional.
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LAW -- Public.
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Constitutional history -- U.S. states
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Politics and government
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Grondwetten.
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Staten.
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Republikanisme.
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| SUBJECT |
United States -- Politics and government -- To 1775.
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140411
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United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140413
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United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1789. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140414
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| Subject |
United States
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| ISBN |
9780742580107 |
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0742580105 |
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