Demonstrates how the American Constitution was forged through conflict, compromise, and eventually fragile consensus as James Madison and his cohorts devised a plan to radically alter the balance of governmental power.

Originally published by Random House, 2009.

Principal characters -- The Constitutional Convention of 1787: a chronology -- The crisis -- The indispensable men of the Convention -- The delay that produced a revolution -- The Convention opens for business -- A high-stakes gamble -- "We the people" or "We the states"? : creating the American Congress -- Imagining the American presidency -- Counterattack -- "We are now at full stop" -- The Fourth of July, 1787 -- Compromise: large states, small states, slave states, and free states -- Beyond the Connecticut Compromise -- "The people are the King" -- Fashioning a first draft of the Constitution: July 27 -- August 6 -- Revising the Constitution: August 6-August 31 -- The "general welfare" and the presidency -- "The paradox at the nation's core" -- A fragile consensus: September 10-September15 -- September 17: day of decision -- The People's Constitution: "Federalists" seize the initiative -- Achieving a more perfect union: the Federalists prevail -- "A Republic, if you can keep it" -- Full list of delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 -- U.S. Constitution (September 17, 1787), Article I-VII.