This is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to understand the U.S. Constitution, but especially for high school and college graduates who know they want to go into law as a vocation. My grandson, who just graduated from high school, was really pleased that I gave it to him, since he's planning to study Constitutional Law.

I have a friend whose son is adamant that the Federal Income Tax is illegal(16th Amendment)...so I purchased this book...looked up the 16th amendment...and sure enough it is VERY LEGAL...only kooks try to avoid paying it...well I copied the pertinant pages from this book and gave them to her so that she could pass them on to her law-breaking son...If you really want to know what the LAW OF THE LAND is ...then read this book...read it multiple times and please read it to your children...so that they understand our Constitution.

With each clause of the Constitution placed in historical context and reviewed in light of recent Supreme Court precedents, this academic tome brings together the brightest young and old minds in conservative and libertarian legal thought, including Eugene Volokh, Nelson Lund, Claire Priest, and countless others. Indispensible guide to anyone interested in an original meaning view of the Constitution. Not a better guide out there for originalist scholarly thought.

Every American Citizen should read this book. Understanding the relationship between citizenship and the rules by which the people authorize governance are very well described. With the press for democracy in the world, we tend to forget that the United States is not a democracy but a republic. Likewise, compliance with the Constitution prevents the establishment of an aristocracy. With the current arrogance of elected officials, we as a people have an obligation to become better informed on the roots of our sovereign law (which comes from the people) and what should be enforced; and that enforcement comes from our knowledge of the Constitution! The Heritage Foundation has done a superb service for all Americans in preparing this guide!

Edwin Meese was head of the editorial board for this guide, which is put out by the Heritage Foundation. That might suggest to some people that there's a conservative slant to the guide, but those people would be wrong. The Heritage Guide was first brought to my attention by a very liberal aquaintance who praised it to the skies, and then by a very conservative colleague who likewise praised it highly. They both had good reasons to praise it.



The Guide takes you through the entire text of the Constitution, line by line, article by article, starting with a three-page discussion of the preamble. It's written by around 100 contributors, all of them well-regarded experts in law and political science. Their discussion of even contentious topics (e.g., Amendment II or privacy rights) is dispassionate and clear, laying out for the reader the history and the case law behind contemporary constitutional issues and avoiding value judgements. The contributors write without legal jargon and with admirable directness, making the Guide accessible (not just accessible, but even enjoyably readable) to anyone with a good highschool education. The sophistication of their discussion, though, makes it suitable also for university students at all levels and for anyone who has any interest at all in the U.S. Constitution. No matter what your position is on presidential war powers or gun control, you come away from this guide with a clear and concise understanding of how the legal debate got where it is now. Each article in the Guide is followed by cross references to other passages in the Constitution, suggestions for further research, and a list of significant cases touching on the particular Article and Section of the Constitution discussed. Thus the Guide isn't just good reading on its own, but an excellent tool and springboard for further research on any constitutional topic.



This book should be required reading for university undergraduates, and for at least those few who will fall under my power next year, it will be. I intend to use this book in my classes on "Law and Literature" and "Law and Economics" as required supplementary reading. It will help clarify class discussions that revolve around constitutional issues, improve student papers, and make my students better informed citizens of the United States. That last one is the real payoff for everyone. I recommend this book far beyond the mere number of stars by which Amazon allows me to rate it.

Edwin Meese was head of the editorial board for this guide, which is put out by the Heritage Foundation. That might suggest to some people that there's a conservative slant to the guide, but those people would be wrong. The Heritage Guide was first brought to my attention by a very liberal aquaintance who praised it to the skies, and then by a very conservative colleague who likewise praised it highly. They both had good reasons to praise it.

The Guide takes you through the entire text of the Constitution, line by line, article by article, starting with a three-page discussion of the preamble. It's written by around 100 contributors, all of them well-regarded experts in law and political science. Their discussion of even contentious topics (e.g., Amendment II or privacy rights) is dispassionate and clear, laying out for the reader the history and the case law behind contemporary constitutional issues and avoiding value judgements. The contributors write without legal jargon and with admirable directness, making the Guide accessible (not just accessible, but even enjoyably readable) to anyone with a good highschool education. The sophistication of their discussion, though, makes it suitable also for university students at all levels and for anyone who has any interest at all in the U.S. Constitution. No matter what your position is on presidential war powers or gun control, you come away from this guide with a clear and concise understanding of how the legal debate got where it is now. Each article in the Guide is followed by cross references to other passages in the Constitution, suggestions for further research, and a list of significant cases touching on the particular Article and Section of the Constitution discussed. Thus the Guide isn't just good reading on its own, but an excellent tool and springboard for further research on any constitutional topic.

This book should be required reading for university undergraduates, and for at least those few who will fall under my power next year, it will be. I intend to use this book in my classes on "Law and Literature" and "Law and Economics" as required supplementary reading. It will help clarify class discussions that revolve around constitutional issues, improve student papers, and make my students better informed citizens of the United States. That last one is the real payoff for everyone. I recommend this book far beyond the mere number of stars by which Amazon allows me to rate it.

a terrific book to read and to use as a reference book.

a terrific book to read and to use as a reference book.

I am still on Article I, but already recognize this as a 5 star item, just based on its treatment of the Preamble and the Constitutional Convention. The passage of an oral exam on this book should be a mandatory requirement to graduation from law school, as well as a prerequisite to any degree, particularly any advanced degree, in the fields of History and Political Science.

I am still on Article I, but already recognize this as a 5 star item, just based on its treatment of the Preamble and the Constitutional Convention. The passage of an oral exam on this book should be a mandatory requirement to graduation from law school, as well as a prerequisite to any degree, particularly any advanced degree, in the fields of History and Political Science.

I am not completely done going through this book but it reveals the history behind the thoughts that went into writing the constitution. It is fairly interesting and not difficult to follow. Good if you want some background into the laws of our land.

This is a remarkable work with contributions from more than a hundred legal scholars. The intent is to "present the Founder's understanding of the Constitution and its various provisions" along with the judicial interpretations and political circumstances that make up the historical development of constitutional law. Intended for an audience of lawmakers, judges and lawyers, the Heritage Guide is also a valuable addition to the library of any person with an abiding interest in one of the most - if not the most - remarkable documents created by the hand of man.

Every line of the Constitution is scrutinized, interpreted and discussed. Significant cases are cited and references for further research are provided.

This is definitely not light reading, but it is certainly informative and enlightening reading.

Jerry

This is a remarkable work with contributions from more than a hundred legal scholars. The intent is to "present the Founder's understanding of the Constitution and its various provisions" along with the judicial interpretations and political circumstances that make up the historical development of constitutional law. Intended for an audience of lawmakers, judges and lawyers, the Heritage Guide is also a valuable addition to the library of any person with an abiding interest in one of the most - if not the most - remarkable documents created by the hand of man.

Every line of the Constitution is scrutinized, interpreted and discussed. Significant cases are cited and references for further research are provided.

This is definitely not light reading, but it is certainly informative and enlightening reading.

Jerry

This book goes line by line through the Constitution explaining the original intent of the founders. It also has articles for each topic authored by the leading scholars in the respective areas. If you are interested in knowing the history of the Constitution, this book is a must.

This book goes line by line through the Constitution explaining the original intent of the founders. It also has articles for each topic authored by the leading scholars in the respective areas. If you are interested in knowing the history of the Constitution, this book is a must.

Very detailed coverage of the constitution and amendments. Each phrase is commented on and relevant and significant court cases and developments of interpretation are listed. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in constitutional law and history.

If the name of Advisory Board chairman Edwin Meese is familiar, it's because he was among President Reagan's most important advisors, and played a key role in domestic and foreign policy alike. His background lends to a survey which offers an in-depth analysis of the meaning of Constitutional law, from its legal rules and changes made since its original enactment in 1787 to modern times. High school and college-level students alike will find THE HERITAGE GUIDE TO THE CONSTITUTION an important overview of the document's history, following its many changes and gathering over a hundred legal experts to create a line-by-line text examination of the complete Constitution and its contemporary interpretation. With its contrasting insights between original founder intentions and modern applications, any studying the Constitution must have this analysis.

For citizens who have a serious desire to know the background and present legal status of every significant clause contained in our nation's most important document.

While an honest effort, it is from a perspective of the Right (orginalists) not the Left. Annoyingly, certain of the contributors use case cites to opinions by current justices Scalia and Thomas at the drop of a hat.

I recommend two recent books for those who enjoy reading about the battle for political freedom: America's Constitution by Professor Akhil Reed Amar and John Wilkes by Professor Arthur H. Cash.

This is simply the most important book about American Constitution for decades. The best experts on the subject lead the reader into the deepest insights not only to the text itself but also to the thoughts and intentions of the Framers in an elegant, artistic and comprehensive way. Must read.

This is a very useful, scholarly summary of constitutional jurisprudence. The authors are appropriately forthcoming about their own views concerning how the constitution should be interpreted. Readers will learn that the cartoon version of "originalism" is quite inaccurate and that "originalism" in the hands of an expert is a subtle and incisive instrument. Originalists are under no illusion that discover the intent of the framers will always be an easy task. They merely insist that an effort be made for without such an effort, the constitution is nothing but a piece of paper. In any event, articles summarizing the caselaw are scholarly and objective, the writing is good and the format is convenient

In a day and age where Americans are more and more in tune with politics, this book is a must have. On it's first few pages the Constitution is printed, but then each Article, to include the Bill of Rights and all the Amendments up to the present, are broken down literally line by line and explained with case law and briefs. Defeinitely a guide book to the Constitution that all Americans should own. Know how to rebuff the arguments made at the Thanksgiving table this year and offer up the proof this book gives. It does not have a liberal or a conservative slant to it, but is a great reference source.

Even though the topic might at first seem a bit dry, the Heritage Guide to the Constitution is clearly written and easy to follow, and covers the U.S.Constitution line by line; this book makes the concepts and ideas clear and easy to understand. It offers a great deal of information about the context, the debates, and the difficulties surrounding the drafting of the Constitution. It presents a strong case for 'original intent' when interpreting the constitution. This ought to become a textbook in American high schools today.

The value and intent of the First Amendment has been all but destroyed by the acceptance of Black's opinion in Everson; yet this violation of the separation of Powers has been allowed to stand without due note.

Edwin Meese's book is the definitive guide to the Constitution.

Thank you Mr. Meese.

Detailed yet easy to understand. Explains the Constitution clause by clause and provides historical information related to each clause. Includes court decisions which interpreted the Constitution. Fascinating and instructive; it should be the first stop in any study of the Constitution.

The previous reviewers have all written very eloquently and accurately about this book. This book will be on my desk for the rest of my life, right along side my Bible, the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers. It gives me great comfort
knowing this kind of information is in the hands of as many Americans as are interested. We, as a people, must re-enlighten ourselves about the original meaning of this great document. It is the only thing that will allow freedom to continue to ring for generations to come.

The Heritage Guide to the Constitution (Hardcover) by Edwin Meese, Matthew Spalding (Editor), David F. Forte (Editor), Matthew Spalding, David F. Forte is an excellent resource to learn and educate ourselves to our founding document, the constitution of the USA. The Heritage Guide to the Constitution is well written easy to read for anyone and is a must for not only every person involved in governance but too every informed voter in our union as well as being an excellent resource for teachers and for family's, who want there children to understand our founding document. Included therein is a clause by clause analysis of the constitution; Each amendment is discussed in complete detail and many relevant court cases are discussed; The authors also examine the documents that serve as the foundation of our Constitution. Again this is a must have for any and everyone who wants to get informed about our constitution and is especially important now, in this season of two brand new appointments to our supreme court; and there may be more coming the next few years as well.

The Heritage Guide to the Constitution is a well written, concise guide that details every aspect of the US Constitution, as well as providing a comprehensive bibliography and several case law citations that an individual can use for further review. It's written in for the layperson, but has much information that can benefit even the most advanced legal scholar, using some of the top legal minds in the country for its sources.

This is a necessary text for every legislator, and for anyone involved in law, policy, politics, or public affairs. I wish I had this book during my years in law school. It will destroy many assumptions taught in academia, and well illustrates the very weighty issues considered during the framing of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It is not polemical, but it does inspire, and yet could easily be part of a course syllabus. You will come away with the belief that the Framers came very close to perfection with respect to balancing the issues of liberty, power, freedom, and order. And this is the very root of the problem today: the lack of faith in the vision of which the Framers were possessed. The tension between originalism and textualism is present throughout, and yet the authors do much more than describe contradictions: they offer a vision of jurisprudential traditionalism that could integrate both approaches to combating the "case-law chaos" sown by today's non-Constitutionalist court.

Adam Goldman
Lake Mary, Florida

This is a book that should be read in every home in America. We have a written Constitution and the more each of us knows about this document, its origins, history, the debates about its meaning, and the present views about it, the better our public discourse can be and the more we can hold our representatives, Presidents, judges and justices to account.

This book takes the Constitution clause by clause and provides an article that discusses the origin of that clause, what was said about it at the time (if such a record exists), what the courts have said about it over time, and where the current debate rests. Yes, the Heritage Foundation is the sponsoring organization for this book. However, these articles are not simple conservative talking points about each clause. The articles are quite readable but scholarly in providing serious discussion of what this written document has meant, has been held to mean, how it has been ignored, and where the current trends are in our public life.

I think it is essential that we realize that we have a written Constitution and that it is very different than the British Constitution, which is unwritten and changes with the political will of the people and the audacity of their politicians. That movement is represented in our country by those who for the past century or so have been saying that our Constitution is a "living document". No, we have a written document with a mechanism for changing it. That process has been used effectively over time to accommodate society as it changes. To leave it open ended to mean whatever judges and unelected justices impose upon it is to subject ourselves to tyranny and to have a very different government that our founders fashioned for us.

While the book begins with a few really nice essays, you do not have to read this book front to back. You can dip into it here and there and read the articles independently of each other. In fact, it is probably best to focus on certain clauses one at a time, dig deeply in the article and have discussions about it (especially with your children). That way, over time, the whole of it takes on a stronger and interconnected substance. You will be able to see the serious debates and debunk the spurious claims made by those who find the written Constitution an impediment to their political aims. The fact that it is an impediment to them is actually to our protection and the reason our founders wrote the thing down. We should be grateful to them for doing that and study what was created by them for us. This book is a great tribute to them and a valuable resource for our study.

In an era of American history where Supreme Court Justices sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States cite foreign law, "international public opinion," and any number of random foundations for their erroneous rulings, "The Heritage Guide to the Constitution" offers readers a glimpse into the proper methods for interpreting the Constitution. Written by former Reagan Attorney General Edwin Meese, in conjunction with Constitutional experts Matthew Spalding and David Forte, the book explores the Constitution step-by-step, line-by-line in an attempt to shed light on the true and original intent of the Founding Fathers.

With great emphasis on historical context, "The Heritage Guide to the Constitution" not only examines the text of the world's greatest governmental document, but it also extensively cites the notes and opinions of the Founders, the Federalist papers, time-honored commentaries on the Constitution, and a number of other sources in its efforts to bring the Constitution into the world of today. In so doing, the book proves itself a valuable resource for all Americans who grapple with the great Constitutional questions of our day... Is the Constitution a "living document"? Is it a rigid set of rules? What is the true interpretation of a specific passage? Is the best judicial philosophy one of a strict constructionist nature? Whether or not this book provides you with the answers to those questions, I have no doubt you will finish reading it a more informed and competent citizen, whether layperson or Constitutional scholar. This should be essential reading for every high school student in our nation...

Britt Gillette
Author of "The Dittohead's Guide to Adult Beverages"

The Heritage Foundation has assembled an impressive (and diverse) lineup in this volume that includes: Albert W. Alschuler, Univ. of Chicago Law School; Gerard V. Bradley, Notre Dame Law School; James L. Buckley, U.S. Court of Appeals; Einer Elhauge, Harvard Law School; James W. Ely, Jr., Vanderbilt Law School; Trent England, The Heritage Foundation; Richard A. Epstein, Univ. of Chicago Law School; John Feerick, Fordham Univ. Law School; Charles Fried, Harvard Law School; Douglas Ginsburg, U.S. Court of Appeals; Michael S. Greve, American Enterprise Institute; James C. Ho, U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution; Charles Kesler, Claremont McKenna College; Douglas Kmiec, Pepperdine Univ. Law School; Gary Lawson, Boston Univ. Law School; Robert Levy, Cato Institute; Forrest McDonald, Univ. of Alabama; Thomas Merrill, Columbia Law School; Paul Moreno, Hillsdale College; John Copeland Nagle, Notre Dame Law School; Mackubin Owens, U.S. Naval War College; Terence Pell, Center for Individual Rights; Stephen B. Presser, Northwestern Univ. Law School; Paul Rosenzweig, The Heritage Foundation; Stephen Safranek, Ave Maria Law School; Bradley Smith, Capital Univ. Law School; Matthew Spalding, The Heritage Foundation; William J. Stuntz, Harvard Law School; Jonathan Turley, George Washington Univ. Law School; and David Wagner, Regent Univ. Law School.

"Heritage" refers to the Heritage Foundation which is a right-leaning think tank who published and edited the book. Man, read the fine print.

And it is an excellent refrence book that all Americans should read; the Constitution is barely taught in schools any more and with the policies of our Congress lately its important for the citizens to review this document.

What does the word "Heritage" mean in the title? Is Meese (Ronald Reagan's Attorney General) trying to equate "heritage" with "conservatism"? If so, then this book is dead from day 1. Who will pay much attention to it if it's not a balanced work? Better to offer it with a liberal companion volume and let the reader work out where the truth is.

Excellent unbiased scholarship! Provides an authoritative research device for people who want to know what the Constitution says and what the history of the various provisions are. One of the greatest points is that it also includes the court cases and legal articles that explain in more detail the particular provision involved.

This book will be a great tool for legislators, lawyers and judges, and law students. But most importantly - it is terrific for anyone who is interested in understanding what the Constitution actually says. It features a clause-by-clause analysis of the original and contemporary meaning of the Constitution. It can be called the ultimate guide to our beloved Constitution that, in spite of much abuse, still stands head and shoulders above any other document of it's kind in the world. Highly recommended!