We the People: The Story of the Constitution

The U.S. Constitution is a framework and rulebook outlining our rights and responsibilities as citizens. Though many Americans are woefully ignorant about the Constitution, the words and deeds of men over 200 years ago still touch every aspect of our lives. This video clearly explains the 1787 "miracle in Philadelphia," when the founding fathers met behind closed doors to hammer out this remarkable document. The process was tedious and contentious, with regional interests battling over issues like tariffs and the abolition of slavery. Then, as now, many feared that tyranny would result from the establishment of a powerful centralized government. The program explores forerunners to the Constitution, such as the Magna Carta and the writings of John Locke. Also reviewed is the "Great Compromise" creating the Senate and the more populist House of Representatives, and the "three fifths" clause compromise on slavery which merely postponed the awful day of reckoning until a bloody civil war resolved the issue. Other topics include the thorny ratification process, the addition of a bill of rights, the ascension of George Washington to the role of first US president, and the amendment procedures which assure the Constitution's role as a relevant and living document. This fine documentary will be useful in school, public, and academic collections. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)