The Blessings of Liberty: A Concise History of the Constitution of the United States

by Michael Les Benedict Ohio State University

Overview

This concise, accessible text provides students with a history of American constitutional development in the context of political, economic, and social change. Constitutional historian Michael Benedict stresses the role that the American people have played over time in defining the powers of government and the rights of individuals and minorities. He covers important trends and events in U.S. constitutional history, encompassing key Supreme Court and lower-court cases. The volume begins by discussing the English and colonial origins of American constitutionalism. Following an analysis of the American Revolution's meaning to constitutional history, the text traces the Constitution's evolution from the Early Republic to the present day. This fourth edition is updated to include the 2016 election, the Trump administration, the 2020 election, and the first activities of the Biden administration.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538165553
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	07/15/2022
Edition description:	Fourth Edition
Pages:	660
Sales rank:	664,675
Product dimensions:	6.07(w) x 9.05(h) x 1.44(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Michael Les Benedict is a prominent American historian who taught at Ohio State University from 1970 until his retirement in 2005.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction: The American Constitution and American Constitutional History

1. English Origins of American Constitutionalism
2. Colonial Origins of American Constitutionalism
3. The American Revolution
4. Establishing New State and Federal Constitutions
5. Constitutional Issues in the Early Republic
6. Judicial Review, Nationalism, and State Sovereignty
7. Andrew Jackson, Democracy, and “State Rights”
8. Slavery and the Constitution
9. The Constitution and the Civil War
10. Reconstruction and the Constitution
11. The Industrial State, Victorian Moralism, Laissez-Faire Constitutionalism, and State Rights
12. The Progressive Era
13. Liberal versus Conservative Constitutionalism in the 1920s
14. The New Deal and the Constitution
15. Liberal Constitutionalism
16. Liberal Constitutionalism and Equality
17. Curbing Presidential Power
18. The Revival of Conservative Constitutionalism
19. The Supreme Court and Conservative Constitutionalism
20. The Erosion of Constitutional Comity
21. The Conservative Court, the Constitution and Judicial Supremacy
22. Presidentialism and the Security State
23. Constitution Wars

NEW CHAPTER 24: Constitutional Crisis

Appendix A Articles of Confederation
Appendix B Constitution of the United States
Appendix C Justices of the United States Supreme Court
Appendix D Tables of Cases
Index

Editorial Reviews

"The third edition of Michael Les Benedict’s The Blessings of Liberty is a treasure. Clearly written and easy to understand, the text takes us from the English roots of American constitutionalism to 2016. Taking the approach of the modern constitutional historian, Benedict plunges us into the controversies relevant to the formation and implementation of the Constitution of 1787 and its amendments, providing the necessary political, social, and economic context that accompanied the development of American constitutional law. I wish there were more undergraduate courses in constitutional history, so that more students could read this book. But we could all benefit by reading it."

Maeva Marcus

"I am astounded by Les Benedict’s ability to compress the story of American constitutional development—which he rightly treats as requiring far more than simply knowledge of Supreme Court decisions—into a relatively short and readable volume (that, in addition, contains extremely helpful bibliographies). I will certainly strongly recommend it to any of my own law students in need of the kind of overview that he so well provides."

Sanford Levinson

"There is no better introduction to constitutional history than The Blessings of Liberty. Learned, clearly written, up to date on recent scholarship, the book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand this crucial subject."

Eric Foner