Both George Washington and James Madison heralded the ratification of the US Constitution as a miracle, a grand conclusion to the American colonies’ long project of greater unification. The book is meant to celebrate that achievement, to show how it came about, to illustrate the humanity of its major participants. The author writes favorably of the Constitution without being blind to its limits. In particular, Bowen wants to convey the sense of crisis felt by the delegates, but rather than contribute to academic controversies, her main intent is to inform the general reader on a subject where knowledge is surprisingly deficient. It will focus squarely on the Convention and ratification process, with some time allotted for important commentators not present at the Convention itself. In closing, Bowen notes that the Constitution was made in “the spirit of compromise” and argues that it shows how noble compromise can be when people are able to put aside their differences (xiv).

In May 1787, 55 delegates met at the Pennsylvania State House, during a brutal heat wave, to discuss what would become known as Constitution for the United States. The ranks included living legends like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, along with younger, relatively unknown delegates like