Dimensions
108 x 184 x 13mm
4 Cassettes
Read by Walter Cronkite
The Constitutional Convention and the Ratification Debates
The Constitution is the most important document in American history. Its ratification in 1788 created a nation; its interpretation through centuries has determined the body of law under which we live. But the Constitution is not a staid document drafted by legal scholars. It is the vibrant work of American revolutionaries who wished to secure the principles for which they had fought a war, and won. Some delegates to the Constitutional Convention had refused to sign the Constitution; Rhode Island had even refused to send representation. And so the Constitution was subjected to the harsh process of ratification by the states in a series of heated debates. Where, many asked, was a bill of rights? And from Virginia, the question resounded: What was the status of slavery?
