Perspective

Bowen tells the story of the Constitutional Convention largely through the eyes of the delegates involved. Quoting extensively from the notes and letters of the actual delegates, she gives an inside look at the Convention, whose proceedings were secret at the time they were held.

The official minutes of the meetings are spare an businesslike, Bowen says, but many of the delegates keep more personal accounts of the discussions, giving insight into the motivations and opinions of the individuals involved. James Madison keeps extensive notes, using all his spare time between meetings to flesh them out. Bowen relies mainly on Madison's account, supplemented by those of others. This raises the possibility that there may be differing accounts of the same discussions, but if any vary significantly, Bowen does not say. In this way, the perspective on the events is perhaps somewhat slanted, as Bowen may have made decisions...