The Framers' Coup

The Making of the United States Constitution

By: Michael J. Klarman

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

Length: 31 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Americans revere their Constitution. However, most of us are unaware how tumultuous and improbable the drafting and ratification processes were. As Benjamin Franklin keenly observed, any assembly of men bring with them "all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests and their selfish views." One need not deny that the Framers had good intentions in order to believe that they also had interests. Based on prodigious research and told largely through the voices of the participants, Michael Klarman's The Framers' Coup narrates how the Framers' clashing interests shaped the Constitution - and American history itself.

The Philadelphia convention could easily have been a failure, and the risk of collapse was always present. Had the convention dissolved, any number of adverse outcomes could have resulted, including civil war or a reversion to monarchy. Not only does Klarman capture the knife's-edge atmosphere of the convention, he populates his narrative with riveting and colorful stories: the rebellion of debtor farmers in Massachusetts; George Washington's uncertainty about whether to attend; Gunning Bedford's threat to turn to a European prince if the small states were denied equal representation in the Senate; slave staters' threats to take their marbles and go home if denied representation for their slaves; Hamilton's quasi-monarchist speech to the convention; and Patrick Henry's herculean efforts to defeat the Constitution in Virginia through demagoguery and conspiracy theories.

©2016 Oxford University Press (P)2017 Tantor

Good reference, but some conclusions are opinion.

I found this book to be extremely well researched. However I found the author's final hour of conclusions to be more of opinion than fact. Some I agree with, some I disagree with. While I found the majority of the book to be for the most part objective "reporting" for the reader to draw their own conclusions. I find some conclusions to be subjective to what the author wants and presents as fact. Overall I find this to be a good reference into the nitty gritty of the framers state of mind. But must be balanced with other reads that include framers statements and writings that were not included in this book.

Deadbeats and Rhode Islanders

Deadbeats and Rhode Islanders, but I repeat myself.

Klarman's "The Framer's Coup" is an exhaustively detailed history on the development and ratification of the Constitution. Karman does three things that most histories of the ratification don't do: (1) he extensively covers the problems with the Articles of Confederation. Whereas most histories just kind of assume that the Articles were defective/deficient, Klarman really helps the reader understand the frustrations of those living with it. One of the major sources of problem was the requirement for unanimity for any significant action, and Rhode Islanders was a consistent holdout. This became increasingly problematic as the question of war debts started to increase. Those creditors that wanted their debts honored became largely Federalists while those debtor farmers largely became the anti-federalists and were mostly happy with an inefficient central government that wouldn't be able to require payment.

This really helps explain the Constitutional Convention as a collection of men who all basically agreed on the goal (ditching the articles) but were quibbling about the details. It also helps explain in part Hamilton's desire for the assumption of state debts and a funded national debt.

(2) The second thing Klarman does is take us to each of the states and covers in great, primary source, detail, their efforts at ratification. It's a great and systematic approach that is very enlightening especially as you see how certain states delays in voting (Rhode Island) inhibited their ability to affect changes to the Constitution since by then the momentum towards full ratification was already moving ahead.

Klarman does all this while relying nearly exclusively on primary sources which is a wonderful way to understand how the Feds and Anti-Feds really viewed things. Also of note is the way both sides argued for/against ratification. They each thought they were arguing from dispassionate reason and logic while the other side was being irrational or had ulterior motives. Also amusing is the insight that both sides would make whatever arguments they thought would persuade their readers to vote up or down, even if they personally didn't advance or believe those arguments themselves. It had a very kitchen sink vibe to the endeavor.

As it's still a history of a bunch of guys debating fine points of governmental structure, it can get a little dry and sometimes hard to track precisely what the difference at issue is or its relevance, but as a comprehensive single volume history with loads of primary sources, it's one of the best.

Best comprehensive history of creation and ratification of Constitution

This is a very important book for anybody who needs to know how and why the Constitution was written and our government was organized. By the way, that is everybody. Excellent scholarship, very well organized and told. Narrator was ok.

so much information

a wonderful insight into the forming of the Constitution. Details into the process, and the people, involved weee wonderful

Important for times with Trump and Republicans

In today's times it is important to know how our constitution came to being. It all comes together in the second half of the last chapter. Wax on, wax off.

A great book of history

This is how you relay history. Provide the facts, first hand accounts, sprinkle in some anecdotal information, and then give analysis.

This book does it well. You'll learn a lot. And while it can be a little dry at times, you'll never be bored to tears.

excellent, read this NOW!!!

If you have a serious inclination to understand the United States Constitution, this is a must read. the most thorough and all inclusive discussion about the Constitutional Convention from its formation as an idea through its ratification by the states. fantastic information you'd be hard pressed to find in 10 other books on the subject

Very detailed

Great telling of the in fighting and struggle to create the constitution. Audio cuts off during the end credits, you get all of the meat of the book.

Well Researched and Minutely Detailed

A capstone to my early American history reading, Coup provided immense detail into the founding that I was able to glean in part in an aggregate study of the key founders. The detail and discussion of the history, background, regional and sectional divisions, compromises and personalities of the founders provided a unique view of the founding and how shaky the beginnings were. Supplemented with historical contexts such as debt relief measures and Shay's rebellions and an in-depth discussion of the slavery issue. The text can be a bit academic and dry, but the vast scope of the writing makes it more than worth the effort to read.

Extremely thoughtful survey of the Constitution and Ratification

This book is excellent, but it is not for the faint of heart. It is extremely detailed and thorough. I love that it mostly used the framers' of the constitution's own word. it provides a very detailed explanation of the origin of the Constitution, what motivated the people in Philadelphia in 1787, and the course of the subsequent ratification of the Constitution. it also provides a good explanation of the Bill of Rights. this really essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the origin of the Constitution and why it is the way it is. I appreciated the conclusion which provides a tie to the problems we are experiencing today and how they have some origins and provisions that might not have totally been thought out in Philadelphia in 1787. All in all really great book with excellent narration.