A Pocket Guide to the US Constitution: What Every American Needs to Know

The Constitution is not so simple that it explains itself—nor so complex that only experts can understand it. In this accessible, nonpartisan quick reference, historian Andrew Arnold provides concise explanations of the Constitution's meaning and history, offering little-known facts and anecdotes about every article and all twenty-seven amendments. This handy guide won’t tell you what the Constitution ought to say, nor what it ought to mean. It will tell you what the Constitution says and what it has meant. A Pocket Guide to the US Constitution presents a straightforward way to understand the American Constitutional system. Without wading through lengthy legal prose, heavy historical analysis, or polemical diatribes, you can easily find out what the emoluments clause means, learn about gerrymandering and separation of powers, or read a brief background on why slaves in colonial America were considered 3/5 of a person. Small enough to put in your pocket, backpack, or briefcase, A Pocket Guide to the US Constitution can be used to comprehend current events, dig deeper into court cases, or sort out your own opinions on constitutional issues.

Table of Contents:
Preface to the Second Edition Note to the Reader Constitution and Amendments I. Structure and Preamble “We the people. . .” Preamble II. Three Branches of Government Article 1. Legislative Article 2. Executive Article 3. Judiciary III. Limitations on State Sovereignty Article 4. States IV. Ratification, Amending, and National Supremacy Article 5. Amending the Constitution Article 6. National Supremacy Article 7. Ratification Process V. Amendments 1-10. Bill of Rights 11-12. Early Refinements 13-15. Civil War Amendments 16-19. Progressive Era 20-22. New Deal and Post-World War II 23-27. Most Recent Conclusion Acknowledgments Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Andrew B. Arnold is chair of the history department, Kutztown University. He received his PhD from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Review :
"This clear, concise, witty, and sophisticated guide to the nation's most important founding document should be in every American's pocket." --Michael A. Ross, University of Maryland A great choice to introduce students to the complexity of our Constitution, without scaring them off. --Paul Finkelman, holds the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice, University of Ottawa, author of Supreme Injustice: Slavery in the Nation's Court and co-author of A March of Liberty: A Constitutional History of the United States