Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States

Coverage: 3 v. Boston: Hilliard, Gray, and Co. ; Cambridge: Brown, Shattuck, and Co., 1833.

Additional Information: This book is one of the earliest treatises on the United States Constitution. Since Story was a Justice of the United States Supreme Court at the time he wrote Commentaries, it is of unique importance to lawyers, political scientists and historians. This book is very important to our understanding of how the Constitution was viewed in the pre-Civil War era.

Dedicated to John Marshall, this work presents a strongly Federalist interpretation. It is divided into three books. Book I contains a history of the colonies and discussion of their charters. Book II discusses the Continental Congress and analyzes the flaws that crippled the Articles of Confederation. Book III begins with a history of the Constitution and its ratification. This is followed by a brilliant line-by-line exposition of each of its articles and amendments.

Volumes:

3 (1833)
2 (1833)
2 (1851)
1 (1833)
1960 (1960)
1 (1851)