"Published for the Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia." Chiefly comprised of papers presented at a conference in Philadelphia, Oct. 1984.

pt. 1.Ideologies: The American Constitution: a revolutionary interpretation / Stanley N. Katz -- The Constitution of the thinking revolutionary / Ralph Lerner -- Interests and disinterestedness in the making of the Constitution / Gordon S. Wood -- pt. 2. Issues: Shay's Rebellion and the ratification of the federal Constitution in Massachusetts / Richard D. Brown -- Money, credit, and Federalist political economy / Janet A. Riesman -- The practical sphere of a republic: James Madison, the Constitutional Conventions, and the emergence of revolutionary federalism / Lance Banning -- Slavery and the Constitutional Convention: making a covenant with death / Paul Finkelman -- James Madison and visions of American nationality in the confederation period: a regional perspective / Drew R. McCoy -- pt. 3. Aftermath: The structure of politics at the accession of George Washington / Jack N. Rakove -- The persistence of antifederalism after 1789 / Richard E. Ellis -- Religious dimensions of the early America state / Stephen Botein -- Epilogue: A roof without walls: the dilemma of American national identity / John M. Murrin.