Books & Manuscripts, including Americana

Small 4to (286 x 184 mm). (Some spotting throughout, toning.) Disbound.

A RARE, COMPLETE EARLY PRINTING OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.

As issues arose between states under the Articles of Confederation put into place in March 1781, some states began to express interest in a revision of the Articles, resulting in a gathering in Philadelphia on 25 May 1787 which became known as the Constitutional Convention. Having realized that a weak central government was a key problem with the original Articles, the attendees sought to enshrine in the new nation's laws a separation of powers, as well as the rights and responsibilities of state governments and their relationship to a strong central government.

Upon ratification numerous publications printed the Constitution in full, often with supplementary materials such as Resolution of Congress, dated Sept. 28, 1787, to transmit the Constitution, "to the several Legislatures, in order to be submitted to a Convention of Delegates chosen in each State by the people thereof, in conformity to the Resolves of the Convention made and provided in that Case." The present edition is signed in type by George Washington and Charles Thomson in their roles as Convention President and Secretary of the United States Congress, respectively.