Episode 143: Michael Klarman, The Making of the United States Constitution

by Liz CovartJuly 18, 2017

Play episode

How did the framers draft the Constitution of 1787?

What powers does the Constitution provide the federal government?

Why do we elect the President of the United States by an electoral system rather than by popular vote?

These are some of the many questions you’ve asked since November 2016. And today we’re going to explore some answers.

Michael Klarman, the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and author of The Founders’ Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution, joins us to discuss the United States Constitution and how and why the framers drafted it.

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Episode Summary

Michael Klarman, the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and author of The Founders’ Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution, joins us to discuss the United States Constitution and how and why the framers drafted it.

During our exploration, Mike reveals the state of American governance just after the War for Independence; What caused the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to meet and discuss a new form of government; And, what issues the delegates debated and compromised on in order to create the Constitution of 1787.

What You’ll Discover

What caused the meeting of the Constitutional Convention of 1787
The Annapolis Convention of 1786
The Articles of Confederation
Shays’ Rebellion
The Constitutional Convention of 1787
James Madison and his ideas for the work of the Convention
The Virginia Plan
The New Jersey Plan
The Connecticut Compromise
How slavery factored into representation debates
Ideas about slavery at the Constitutional Convention
The type of government provided by the Constitution of 1787
Early Americans’ reception of the Constitution of 1787
The Electoral College and electoral system
Amendment provisions

Links to People, Places, and Publications

Sponsor Links

Complementary Episodes

Time Warp Question

In your opinion, what might have happened if the Philadelphia convention to revise the Articles of Confederation had not taken place in 1787? How would the constitutional history of the United States be different today? 