James Madison, The ‘Federal Negative,’ and the Making of the U.S. Constitution

This case begins with the American Revolution and concludes at the Constitutional Convention. It describes the many challenges faced by the United States under the Articles of Confederation—including debt, contraction of trade, recession, inflation, and Shays’ Rebellion—and how those problems informed many features of the U.S. Constitution. Key concepts include the balance of power between and within levels of government as well as how to constrain the “tyranny of the majority.” The week includes a virtual, hosted visit to James Madison’s Montpelier.