The Constitution Explained

A Guide for Every American

David L. Hudson

• Publisher: Visible Ink Press
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781578591961
• eBook ISBN: 9781578597727
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Early American History
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The United States Constitution is a short document, and it is written in general language, which leaves much of the meaning unwritten and open to interpretation. Dig into this important document and watershed in the history of governments!

Explore the history, the various clauses, amendments, and interpretations. Understand your rights (and responsibilities)! From the Constitutional Convention to the creation of the Constitution and its eventual ratification, and to the Bill of Rights and the thorny constitutional issues of today, The Constitution Explained: A Guide for Every American covers the history, our founding fathers’ goals, and the varied interpretations of the Constitution that have informed the politics and functioning of the U.S. government. You’ll discover …

How the Constitution makes the United States of America different from many countries around the world because it gives us a peaceful mechanism to resolve governmental issues

The rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens

An in-depth look at the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights

“The Miracle at Philadelphia” and “the Great Compromise”

The many different methods used to interpret the Constitution

Controversial U.S. Supreme Court picks throughout history and how the size and tenure of the Supreme Court justices has long been a contentious issue

The remarkable evolution of death penalty jurisprudence

The “Bill” Process, Pardon Power, Power of Judicial Review, and other stated and implied powers found in Articles I (Congress), II (Presidency) and III (Judicial)

And much, much more!

A guide to the citizenship and the American government, The Constitution Explained sheds a light on the differing and changing interpretations of the many broadly worded key phrases in the Constitution. You’ll learn how the Constitution has been adopted to different times and various situations. You’ll learn what it does—and does not—promise U.S. citizens. Richly illustrated, it also has a helpful bibliography, glossary, and extensive index. This invaluable resource is designed to help you understand the power and strength of the U.S. Constitution!

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Photo Sources
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Introduction to the Constitution
• From the Articles of Confederation to the Constitutional Convention
• The Philadelphia Convention and the New Constitution
• Ratifying the Constitution and the Bill of Rights Issue
• Article I—Congress
• Article II—The Powers of the Presidency
• Article III and the U.S. Supreme Court
• Articles IV–VIII
• The First Amendment
• The Second Amendment
• The Fourth Amendment
• The Fifth Amendment
• The Sixth Amendment
• The Eighth Amendment
• The Ninth and Tenth Amendments
• The Fourteenth Amendment: The Second Bill of Rights
• Miscellaneous Amendments
• Continuing Constitutional Controversies
• Appendix: The United States Constitution
• Further Reading
• Index
• About the Author
• Other Visible Ink Books by David L. Hudson Jr.
• Copyright