The book by O’Connor and Sabato (2011) is valuable, and deserves special attention. Its second chapter examined the US Constitution. The US Constitution is the product of many years American political, economical, religious, and social experience. Following O’Connor and Sabato’s book (2011), one may see that this document cannot be changed in an easy way.
From colonies to the United States, the country had passed a long challengeable way. Only the best juridical practices stroke roots on the abundant US land. The ideas that resulted in the creation of this legal document addressed the problems and demands of a changing nation (O’Connor and Sabato 30). Thus, the US Constitution has gathered those laws and legal norms that reflected the country’s historical experience.
The authors’ book (2011) describes key events that led to American independence. These events are connected with the swift development of the thirteen colonies, intense foreign policy, and the Civil War. However, the book presented Boston Massacre of 1770 as one of the most notable events that led to the independence. The incident that happened in Boston (the encounter of the American citizens, disappointed with unfair tax policy with the British authorities) resulted in the removal of the British military from the town.
Six years later, on July 4, 1776, the Americans declared independence: the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress (O’Connor and Sabato 33). Since that time, the US Constitution became the supreme law that cannot be broken with impunity by each American citizen.
The adoption of the Constitution was accompanied with participation of numerous notable individuals: George Washington (in 1789, he became the first US President), John Adams, James Madison, and others. The book (2011) says that such notable figure as Benjamin Franklin signed the most essential US document of all times. He is believed to be the founding father of the US Constitution (O’Connor & Sabato 36).
When the American Revolution was over, in 1776, the country faced peace and legal status. O’Connor and Sabato (2011) gave the following piece of evidence: “after the Declaration was signed and transmitted to the king, the Revolutionary War was fought with a greater vengeance” (O’Connor and Sabato 38). Undoubtedly, 1776 was the extremely important year for the country’s history. The Articles of Confederation became the first written constitution of the US Government (however, the final variant was adopted only in 1789).
At the same time, the period after the adoption of the Constitution was extremely difficult from political and economic points of view. The laws on trade and taxation were rather painful because the national government did not have any funds to pay the army, farmers, civil services, etc.
The creation of Supreme Court legalized the process of adoption of all essential laws for the country. The authors of the book (2011) believe that the issue of slavery was one of the most important issues in the US legislature. Slavery was officially abolished only in the middle of XIX century (O’Connor and Sabato 43).
In general, the US Constitution reveals all kinds of state laws, separation of powers in the country, rights of its citizens, and many other crucial points that reflect the legal norms of the US. According to the book, such documents as Bill of Rights, twenty seven successfully adopted amendments, and even the Federalist Papers of the 80s of XVIII century that protect the constitutional principles in the name of all Americans influenced the modern face of the US Constitution (O’Connor and Sabato 54).
Overall, the second chapter of the author’s book (2011) concerns the most significant US document resulted from the immortal events that led to the independence of the American nation.