The Constitutional Guide

A Jacksonian-Era Primer on the U.S. Constitution. Originally published: New York: G. & C. Carvill & Co., 1834. v, 147 pp. Dedicated to the "People of the United States," this is a layman's edition of the U.S. Constitution published during the Jackson era, a time of greatly expanded male suffrage and wider participation in public affairs. As the sub-title indicates, the text is annotated with excerpts from the writings of James Madison, Joseph Story and "other distinguished American citizens." The annotations offer an idea of how the Constitution was understood at this time, and form a handy digest of important commentaries linked to the passages they analyze. Reprint of the first edition.