Beyond Confederation scrutinizes the ideological background of the U.S. Constitution; the rigors of its writing and ratification; and the problems it both faced and provoked immediately after ratification. The essays in this collection question much of the heritage of eighteenth-century constitutional thought and suggest that many of the commonly debated issues have led us away from the truly germane questions. The authors challenge many of the traditional generalizations and the terms and scope of that debate as well.The contributors raise fresh questions about the Constitution as it enters its third century. What happened in Philadelphia in 1787; and what happened in the state ratifying conventions? Why did the states--barely--ratify the Constitution? What were Americans of the 1789s attempting to achieve? The exploratory conclusions point strongly to an alternative constitutional tradition; some of it unwritten; much of it rooted in state constitutional law; a tradition that not only has redefined the nature and role of the Constitution but also has placed limitations on its efficacy throughout American history. The authors are Lance Banning; Richard Beeman; Stephen Botein; Richard D. Brown; Richard E. Ellis; Paul Finkelman; Stanley N. Katz; Ralph Lerner; Drew R. McCoy; John M. Murrin; Jack N. Rakove; Janet A. Riesman; and Gordon S. Wood.
#591228 in Books The University of North Carolina Press 2008-10-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.76 x 6.56 x 9.48l; 2.30 #File Name: 0807832006640 pagesGreat product!
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Balanced; thoroughBy M ZinCozzens gets behind the summary level view of the Shenandoah Campaign as one; big testimony to the genius of Gen. Jackson and the incompetence of the Union generals. Cozzens; unlike most authors; takes a very objective view of Jackson; chronicaling both his failures (Bath-Romney; Kernstown) as well as his successes. And yes; one can't help coming away from this book with the notion that Jackson was an odd sort of person who fought this Campaign in his own "zone". But his biggest contribution may be the perspective he provides on the Union leadership. There certainly were some generals involved here (Fremont in particular) who had no business leading an army. But Cozzens gets at the complexity and scope of the decisions made by the Union command; and shows effectively that the Union had some excellent and highly aggressive leaders who were thwarted in their efforts to pursue Jackson more vigorously. His chronicles of the rest of the Union command - their inconsistencies; doubts; and idiosyncracies - provide a well rounded assessment of a complex situation. The most entertaining aspect of the book; however; is his depiction of the relationships between the citizenry of Winchester; VA; and the occupying Federals. A great read.21 of 24 people found the following review helpful. Has Anybody Got a Map???By Bruce KinseyPeter Cozens has penned a detailed; well written; densely researched account of the endlessly instructive Valley Campaign of 1862. It would be easier to heap praise on his prodigious effort if Cozzen's publisher had loosened up on the purse strings and sprung for some decent maps and illustrations.The Shenandoah Valley is not Kansas or the New Jersey Turnpike; and superior knowledge of its intricate topography was one reason the Confederates came off so well in 1862. Without decent maps to accompany his voluminous descriptions of battles; march routes and villages; Cozzens is forced to waste whole pages describing specific geographic and tactical features. I LIVE in the Shenandoah Valley; but still found myself bewildered by some of these incredibly wordy place descriptions. The few maps included in the book are murky; monochromatic; incredibly hard to read; and on occasion baffling. The devoted reader is best advised to have a good high-scale map of the Shenandoah Valley at hand well before undertaking Cozzen's otherwise exemplary tome.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great unusual point of viewBy M. Doug EvansMy favorite campaign; the first book that looks at it from both points of view instead of just the south. Lots of insights; of course cozzens is the best civil war writer today and that doesn't hurt. He just gets better from book to book! Buy It!
