Carol Berkin (Presidential Professor of History, City University of New York, Baruch College)

May 17, 2011

Some see the Constitution as a living text; others assume its first rendition controls all of its meaning. Everyone puzzles over some of its language, yet everyone accepts it as an established plan of government, as well as a set of absolutely controlling propositions. But does it, in any of these senses, tell a story? Why might it be important for the Constitution to be read like one? How do its various parts relate to one another? Why did so many consider it incomplete until a Bill of Rights was added in 1791? With that in mind, does it have a beginning, a middle, and an end? Does it now need internal revision? Join us to do a close reading of our founding document.

Subjects

Education Studies / Political Science / United States Constitution / United States Bill of Rights / United States Government / Pedagogy /

Rights

Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0