Synopses & Reviews
An eye-opening examination of America's foundation On September 17, 1787, at the State House in Philadelphia, thirty-nine men from twelve states, after months of often bitter debate, signed Americas Constitution. Yet very few of the delegates, at the start, had had any intention of creating a nation that would last. Most were driven more by pragmatic, regional interests than by idealistic vision. Many were meeting for the first time, others after years of contention, and the inevitable clash of personalities would be as intense as the advocacy of ideas or ideals.
No issue was of greater concern to the delegates than that of slavery: it resounded through debates on the definition of treason, the disposition of the rich lands west of the Alleghenies and the admission of new states, representation and taxation, the need for a national census, and the very make-up of the legislative and executive branches of the new government. As Lawrence Goldstone provocatively makes clear in Dark Bargain, "to a significant and disquieting degree, Americas most sacred document was molded and shaped by the most notorious institution in its history."
Goldstone chronicles the forging of the Constitution through the prism of the crucial compromises made by men consumed with the needs of the slave economy. As the daily debates and backroom conferences in inns and taverns stretched through July and August of that hot summer--and as the philosophical leadership of James Madison waned--Goldstone clearly reveals how tenuous the document was, and how an agreement between unlikely collaboratorsJohn Rutledge of South Carolina, and Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut--got the delegates past their most difficult point. Dark Bargain recounts an event as dramatic and compelling as any in our nations history. Lawrence Goldstone holds a Ph.D. in American Constitutional Studies and is the co-author with his wife, Nancy, of the highly-praised works of narrative history, Out of the Flames and The Friar and the Cipher. He lives in Westport, Connecticut. On September 17, 1787, at the State House in Philadelphia, thirty-nine men from twelve states, after months of often bitter debate, signed America's Constitution. Yet very few of the delegates, at the start, had had any intention of creating a nation that would last. Most were driven more by pragmatic, regional interests than by idealistic vision. Many were meeting for the first time, others after years of contention, and the inevitable clash of personalities would be as intense as the advocacy of ideas or ideals. No issue was of greater concern to the delegates than that of slavery: it resounded through debates on the definition of treason, the disposition of the rich lands west of the Alleghenies and the admission of new states, representation and taxation, the need for a national census, and the very make-up of the legislative and executive branches of the new government. As Lawrence Goldstone provocatively makes clear in Dark Bargain, "to a significant and disquieting degree, America's most sacred document was molded and shaped by the most notorious institution in its history." Goldstone chronicles the forging of the Constitution through the prism of the crucial compromises made by men consumed with the needs of the slave economy. As the daily debates and backroom conferences in inns and taverns stretched through July and August of that hot summerand as the philosophical leadership of James Madison wanedGoldstone clearly reveals how tenuous the document was, and how an agreement between unlikely collaboratorsJohn Rutledge of South Carolina, and Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticutgot the delegates past their most difficult point. Dark Bargain recounts an event as dramatic and compelling as any in our nation's history. "Dark Bargain puts slavery near the heart of the making of the Constitution, where it belongs. Goldstone's narrative is lively and carefully researched, and we learn more than we knew about James Madison and the other 'founding fathers.'"Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States "I thought I'd read the Constitution, but this book turns a good, harsh light on the founding documents, not to mention the Founders, who look in these pages to have been a shrewd and self-loving clique."Edward Ball, author of Slaves in the Family "Slavery has always lurked around the periphery of our constitutional history. In this disturbing yet scintillating work of scholarship, Lawrence Goldstone has restored the peculiar institution to its rightful, horrific place at the center. Fascinating and important."James Grant, author of John Adams: Party of One
Review
"[Goldstone] places the spoken and written words of
participants within the context of their cultural and economic milieu. This
is a well-argued contribution to our evolving understanding of the role of
slavery in our nation's origins." Booklist
Review
"Dark Bargain puts slavery near the heart of the making of the Constitution, where it belongs. Goldstone's narrative is lively and carefully researched, and we learn more than we knew about James Madison and the other 'founding fathers.' " Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States
Review
"I thought I'd read the Constitution, but this book turns a good, harsh light on the founding documents, not to mention the Founders, who look in these pages to have been a shrewd and self-loving clique." Edward Ball, author of Slaves in the Family
Review
"Slavery has always lurked around the periphery of our constitutional history. In this disturbing yet scintillating work of scholarship, Lawrence Goldstone has restored the peculiar institution to its rightful, horrific place at the center. Fascinating and important." James Grant, author of John Adams: Party of One
Synopsis
An eye-opening examination of America's foundation On September 17, 1787, at the State House in Philadelphia, thirty-nine men from twelve states, after months of often bitter debate, signed America’s Constitution. Yet very few of the delegates, at the start, had had any intention of creating a nation that would last. Most were driven more by pragmatic, regional interests than by idealistic vision. Many were meeting for the first time, others after years of contention, and the inevitable clash of personalities would be as intense as the advocacy of ideas or ideals.
No issue was of greater concern to the delegates than that of slavery: it resounded through debates on the definition of treason, the disposition of the rich lands west of the Alleghenies and the admission of new states, representation and taxation, the need for a national census, and the very make-up of the legislative and executive branches of the new government. As Lawrence Goldstone provocatively makes clear in Dark Bargain, "to a significant and disquieting degree, America’s most sacred document was molded and shaped by the most notorious institution in its history."
Goldstone chronicles the forging of the Constitution through the prism of the crucial compromises made by men consumed with the needs of the slave economy. As the daily debates and backroom conferences in inns and taverns stretched through July and August of that hot summer--and as the philosophical leadership of James Madison waned--Goldstone clearly reveals how tenuous the document was, and how an agreement between unlikely collaborators—John Rutledge of South Carolina, and Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut--got the delegates past their most difficult point. Dark Bargain recounts an event as dramatic and compelling as any in our nation’s history.
Synopsis
Lawrence Goldstone throws new light on the framing of the U. S. Constitution in this intriguing chronicle of the Constitutional debates, bringing to life the remarkable range of personalities and rivalries that forged the foundation of our country. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 is generally viewed as dominated by the likes of Madison, Mason, Gouverneur Morris, and a few others; in fact, as Goldstone shows, relative unknowns like Rutledge, Ellsworth, and Sherman took over the debate and forged its eventual outcome. He also reveals how the debate over slavery was not split along North-South lines.
About the Author
Goldstone has written, along with his wife Nancy, several other books including Out of the Flames, The Friar and the Cipher, Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World, and Warmly Inscribed: The New England Forger and Other Tales.