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In 1787, the American union was in disarray. The incompatible
demands of the separate states threatened its existence; some
states were even in danger of turning into the kind of tyranny they
had so recently deposed.
A truly national government was needed, one that could raise money,
regulate commerce, and defend the states against foreign
threats-without becoming as overbearing as England. So
thirty-six-year-old James Madison believed. That summer, the
Virginian was instrumental in organizing the Constitutional
Convention, in which one of the world's greatest documents would be
debated, created, and signed. Inspired by a sense of history in the
making, he kept the most extensive notes of any attendee.
Now two esteemed scholars have made these minutes accessible to
everyone. Presented with modern punctuation and spelling, judicious
cuts, and helpful notes-plus fascinating background information on
every delegate and an overview of the tumultuous times-here is the
great drama of how the Constitution came to be, from the opening
statements to the final votes.
This Modern Library Paperback Classic also includes an Introduction
and appendices from the authors.
James Hammond Trumbull was a prolific New England antiquarian and
linguist. In connection with his research into the Native languages
of New England, his discovery that some of the languages were
highly systematic enabled him to decipher the grammar and
vocabulary from rough phonetic accounts of the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. Though Trumbull never saw his work published,
the Bureau of American Ethnology finally produced the "Natick
Dictionary" in 1903.
Since Trumbull's dictionary translates words both from Natick to
English and from English to Natick, it is not only an excellent
scholarly resource but also a useful learning tool for
nonspecialists approaching Algonkian with only English-language
skills.
Robert and Karen Madison's introduction to this edition outlines
Trumbull's life and writings and also reviews the major sources
Trumbull used in his research.
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