The third edition of Michael Les Benedict’s The Blessings of Liberty is a treasure. Clearly written and easy to understand, the text takes us from the English roots of American constitutionalism to 2016. Taking the approach of the modern constitutional historian, Benedict plunges us into the controversies relevant to the formation and implementation of the Constitution of 1787 and its amendments, providing the necessary political, social, and economic context that accompanied the development of American constitutional law. I wish there were more undergraduate courses in constitutional history, so that more students could read this book. But we could all benefit by reading it.

Maeva Marcus, Director, Institute for Constitutional History, The New-York Historical Society and The George Washington University Law School

There is no better introduction to constitutional history than The Blessings of Liberty. Learned, clearly written, up to date on recent scholarship, the book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand this crucial subject.

Eric Foner, Columbia University

I am astounded by Les Benedict’s ability to compress the story of American constitutional development—which he rightly treats as requiring far more than simply knowledge of Supreme Court decisions—into a relatively short and readable volume (that, in addition, contains extremely helpful bibliographies). I will certainly strongly recommend it to any of my own law students in need of the kind of overview that he so well provides.

Sanford Levinson, co-author (with Jack Balkin) of Democracy and Dysfunction