Here is a comprehensive account of the U.S. constitution--including its evolution and its impact on shaping American government and political representation. In eight fact-filled chapters, the authors carefully explore the U.S. Constitution's role. Chapter 1 looks at various conflicts which occurred during its ratification in 1787. The next chapter examines both the initial and subsequent impacts of liberalism and capitalism on the Constitution. The following chapters discuss the growth of federal power and the role of the courts in interpreting the Constitution. Chapter five divides Constitutional amendments into those which expand individual liberties versus those which alter the structure of government, places them in historical perspective, and traces amendments through the process of passage. The following chapters analyze the geographic basis for representation established in the Constitutional change and suggests some nontraditional changes.