Forrest McDonald, part two

In my recent post on Dr. McDonald I commented on his teaching abilities. I must enter a few comments on his writings. We the People was earth shattering. For forty years historians had accepted unconditionally and taught what is known as the Beard Thesis on the writing of the Constitution, that the Founders drew up the document to protect their financial interests. Beard had delved into the financial records of the men at Philadelphia and found them wanting. McDonald took this to the next step. He researched the records of not just the men at Philadelphia, but those who attended the state ratification conventions. He demonstrated conclusively that the Beard thesis was not airtight. A brilliant and important book but not Dr. McDonald's best. Of all his writings, We the People is the most difficult read. The two books to follow are more indicative of a developed style. Whereas We the People can be considered an updated economic history of the Constitution, E Pluribus Unum and Novus Ordo Seclorum are the political and intellectual histories of that document respectively. Combined, the three books give one a thorough grounding in our how and why the Constitution was written. After finishing these, read A Constitutional History of the United States to see how the story proceeds over the next two centuries, if you can find it. To see how one of the key figures behind the Constitution implemented, read Alexander Hamilton: A Biography, still the best work on the first Secretary of the Treasury to date. The explanation of Hamilton's financial plan alone is worth the price.