Explains the developments leading up to the writing of the Constitution, what the Constitution is, and what happened during the Constitutional Convention.

Surveys the history of the United States Constitution with descriptions of its structure, current function, and influence in our society.

"Based on prodigious research and told largely through the voices of the participants, Michael Klarman's The Framers' Coup narrates how the Framers' clashing interests shaped the Constitution--and American history itself. ... Not only does Klarman capture the knife's-edge atmosphere of the convention, he populates his narrative with riveting and colorful stories. ... The Framers' Coup is more than a compendium of great stories, however, and the powerful...