Forward To Freedom: The American Constitution and Humanity's Struggle for Liberty Across The Ages

"Forward To Freedom" clearly explains the historical roots and sources of inspiration the Founding Fathers drew upon to create the Constitution of the United States of America. Prior to its creation, for thousands of years, humanity has struggled to find that right balance between rule and liberty. This book takes the reader through humanity's search for this balance over the centuries of rule by man and government, up to the creation and ratification of the Constitution. An enlightening read for understanding the philosophy and process the founding fathers used to create the one document credited for having changed the rule of man forever was created. The ideas proclaimed in the United States Declaration of Independence'liberty, equality, and unalienable rights'remained only empty ideals until the Constitution institutionalized them in a functioning government. The Constitution drafted by the Constitutional Convention stands as the oldest written constitution and helped America become the most prosperous and powerful nation in history. The Framers knew the history of humanity's struggle for liberty. The earliest civilizations of the Middle East crushed human freedom in the name of divine right but did produce the earliest codes of law. The political philosophy of Classical Greece helped them understand basic principles of politics. They also greatly admired Roman law and the Roman Republic and hoped that America's republican form of government would not degenerate into tyranny. They knew how limited and constitutional government developed in England out of centuries of contention against the divine right of kings. When England tried to exert much more control over the colonies than before, the result was the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. Ideas, already known and accepted by the American people, essentially represented a consensus of opinion that employed many other new political ideas such as separation of powers and checks and balances expressed by modern philosophers. The Constitution is indeed the product of compromises, but it also reflects agreement on political ideas of enormous importance. "Forward To Freedom" brilliantly leads the reader through the ages of humanity's search for liberty culminating in the creation of America's Constitution.