Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions

Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions highlights documents that tell the story of American constitutionalism from the founding era through to the turn of the 20th century. Accompanying a major exhibition at the New-York Historical Society and the Museum of the American Revolution, the book features federal and state constitutional materials – including a rare, privately owned copy of the original 1787 US Constitution – that offer essential windows into the history of the United States. Weaving both well-known and less familiar documents into a compelling narrative, the accessible text reveals how Americans have exercised their constitutional powers to shape their communities and why democracy remains an ongoing process.

Accompanies the exhibition Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions: Creating the American Republic at the New-York Historical Society from 28 February to 31 May 2020 and the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia from 12 June to 5 July 2020.

The privately owned copy of the American constitution that is the central piece of this book, was auctioned at Sotheby’s in November ’21 for a record-breaking $43.2 million.