THIS IS A GREAT COURSES DVD..WITH 3 BOOKS OF LECTURES

Allen C. Guelzo in America's Founding Fathers goes beyond biography of the men we know most -- George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison -- and touches upon the contributions they made into forming the Constitution. Disagreements and treachery permeated throughout its birth. Personal issues and vendettas ran rampant. The founding fathers are sometimes seen as god-like but they were very much human.

The lectures introduce other men that are not well known but also had a hand in forging the Constitution. The political and social climate of the era are also covered so as to provide background for the decisions and amendments made to the document. Some argued for the emancipation of slaves while others denounced the idea and cried that economic chaos would ensue if that institution crumbled. The seeds of the US Civil War were planted long before 1861.

I found this course to be very informative and it increased my knowledge of not only those who drafted and signed the Constitution but also the political and social workings of 18th century America. ( )