The Invention of the United States Senate
By Daniel Wirls and Stephen Wirls
The establishment of the U.S. Senate was the most
complex and confounding achievement of the Constitutional
Convention. Though much studied and commented upon, this
body remains widely misunderstood by both historians and
the American public. In their new book, The Invention of
the United States Senate, political scientists Daniel
Wirls and Stephen Wirls provide an in-depth look at the
institution's origins and early years, cracking its
"genetic code" to understand the many strands that went
into its creation.
The authors start by exploring the theoretical models
and institutional precedents used by the framers of the
Constitution, both from ancient and modern history and from
the Western tradition of political philosophy. They then
examine the actual work of the Constitutional Convention in
deciding on the composition and powers of the Senate,
before concluding with a look at its early years as a
functioning legislative body.
For anyone interested in the founding of American
democracy, this book provides insights into the theoretical
principles and practical application of its most thoughtful
and controversial legacy.
(288 pages, $49.95 hardcover/$18.95 paperback,
February)
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