Annotated Bibliography

Topic: Sovereignty and the Creation of the Executive Branch in the Constitution of the United States of America.

1. Anderson, Thornton. Creating the Constitution. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1993.

Anderson reflects how the founding fathers tried to develop a document that maintained a balance between state and national sovereignty. They asked if it was possible to write a clear statement that reflected divided sovereignty (pp.67-72).

2. Barlow, Jackson J., Leonard W. Levy and Ken Masugi, eds. The American Founding: Essays on the Formation of the Constitution. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1988.

The essays that Barlow, Levi and Masugi have compiled apply primarily to the ideology of the founding fathers. They discuss James Madison’s interpretation on the Constitutional Congress. Madison felt that sovereignty lay with the people and any government the founding fathers produce is worthless without the approval of the people. However, he felt it essential that a small delegation of people to create the government. Thus where does sovereignty lie (pp.143-145)?

3. Berkin, Carol. A Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2002.

Berkin believed Common Sense provided the final incentive for Americans to revolt against the king (p. 62). Berkin discusses the concerns Americans had with abuse of executive power. Convention members raised issues with the amount of power given to the executive in the Virginia Plan. This led to further discussions on the size of the executive branch as to whether it should be a single person or a committee (pp.82-87).

4. Elliot, Jonathan. Elliot’s Debates on the Federal Constitution, Volumes 1-4. Washington: Printed for the Editor under the sanction of Congress, 1836.

This is a record of each state’s ratification conference after the creation of the Constitution. A wide range of topics are discussed including the failure of the confederacy, the fear of executive power, debates on individual powers granted to the president.

5. Gregg, Gary L. II and Matthew Spalding, eds. Patriot Sage: George Washington and the American Political Tradition. Wilmington, Delaware: ISI Books, 1999.

Gregg and Spalding discuss how Americans needed a President they could trust to not rule as a monarch. Washington’s iconic status as a war hero, a great American and most importantly a man of dignity made him the ideal choice for President (pp. 179-181).

6. Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison, John Jay and Charles Rossiter, ed. The Federalist Papers. New York: New American Library, 1961.

Hamilton discusses his opinions regarding the powers of the Executive that were agreed upon at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Hamilton defends the creation of a strong federal government (pp. 405-462).

7. Jensen, Merrill. The Articles of Confederation. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1940.

Jensen discusses what sovereignty meant to Americans prior to the drafting of the Articles of Confederation. He discusses the Tory viewpoint of creating an English style of government as well as the more popular strong state government (pp.161-176).

8. Kaminski, John P. and Richard Leffler, eds. Federalists and Antifederalists: The Debate Over the Ratification of the Constitution. Madison: Madison House, 1998.

Kaminski and Leffler provide a collection of Federalist and Anti-Federalist viewpoints related to the powers of the President. Some excerpts are taken from newspapers and ratifying Conventions. (pp. 84-119)

9. Kaminski, John P. and Jill Adair McCaughan, eds. A Great and Good Man: George Washington in the Eyes of His Contemporaries. Madison: Madison House, 1989.

Kaminski and McCaughan provide a collection of letters and articles written by statesmen and ordinary people prior to the Constitution. These texts express these people’s opinions on the qualifications for a President. Additionally, this text contains letters extolling the virtues of Washington that provide excellent insight into his popularity and leadership ability (pp.94 – 101).

10. Kammen, Michael, ed. The Origins of the American Constitution: A Documentary History. New York: Penguin Books, 1986.

Kammen provides a collection of correspondence of the founders that discuss the Constitutional issues after the constitutional convention of 1787.

11. Ketcham, Ralph, ed. The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates. New York: New American Library, 1986.

Ketcham compiled a selection of letters both during and after the Constitutional convention of 1787 that strictly reflect the Anti-Federalist point of view. The topics include: a debate on executive power (pp. 42-43), executive salary (pp. 43-47), opposition to a unitary executive (pp. 47-49), and executive veto power (pp. 159-160).

12. Madison, James. Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, Volumes 1 and 2. Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books, 1987.

Madison assembled a compendium of the debates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It provides a day-by-day account of discussions from May 14th, 1787 to September 18th, 1787.

13. Paine, Thomas. Common Sense. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1997.

Paine discusses the evils of monarchy, the absurdity of hereditary succession and why America should not put up with British rule. This document had a massive effective on American public opinion and helped shape a new American idea of sovereignty.