The new Constitution written by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 was a proposal that had to be ratified by at least 9 of the 13 states before it could take effect. Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787-1788 by Pauline Maier is the first major history of that ratification process.
Drawing on a vast new collection of documents, the book is a comprehensive account of the yearlong battle over ratification that brought such famous founders as Washington, Hamilton, and Madison together with lesser-known Americans. All across the country, everyday people joined the debate, choosing delegates to state conventions where the Constitution was scrutinized and debated clause by clause before it was ultimately adopted.
The book has been added to the "new book shelf" on the library’s third floor. For more, read a review or view a talk by the author.
