The U.S. Constitution: A Very Short Introduction explores the major themes of American constitutional history¿federalism, the balance of powers, property, representation, equality, rights, and security. Informed by the latest scholarship, each theme illustrates how the Constitution has served as a dynamic framework for legitimating power and advancing liberty.

• Contents


• List of illustrations


• Chapter 1: The problematic Constitution


• Chapter 2: The revolutionary Constitution


• Chapter 3: Constitutional themes


• Chapter 4: The future Constitution


• References


• Further reading


• Index

David J. Bodenhamer is the founding Executive Director of The Polis Center, Professor of History, and Adjunct Professor of Informatics at IUPUI. Bodenhamer is author or editor of twelve books in American legal and constitutional history and in the new field of spatial humanities, which applies geospatial technologies to humanities disciplines. He also is co-editor of two book series with Indiana University Press and is co-editor of the IJHAC: A Journal of the Digital Humanities.