The Presidents and the Constitution: A Living History, by Kenneth Gormley
In this sweepingly ambitious volume, the nation's foremost experts on the American presidency and the U.S. Constitution join together to tell the intertwined stories of how each American president has confronted and shaped the Constitution. This book delves into key moments in American history, from Washington's early battles with Congress to the advent of the national security presidency under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, to reveal the dramatic historical forces that drove these presidents to action. Under the editorship of Kenneth Gormley, historians and legal experts, including Richard Ellis, Gary Hart, Stanley Kutler and Kenneth Starr, bring the Constitution to life, and show how the awesome powers of the American presidency have been shaped by the men who were granted them. The book brings to the fore the overarching constitutional themes that span this country's history and ties together presidencies in a way never before accomplished. Exhaustively researched and compellingly presented, The Presidents and the Constitution shines new light on America's brilliant constitutional and presidential history.
Ken Gormley, the 11th dean of Duquesne University School of Law, began his tenure as Duquesne University's 13th president on July 1, 2016. Gormley joined Duquesne's law faculty in 1994, after teaching at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and engaging in private practice. Gormley earned his B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1977, summa cum laude, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1980. Gormley's work on a myriad of legal/historical topics has earned him a national reputation as a leading constitutional scholar.
Click on the tabs at the top of the screen to see primary source documents discussed in each chapter, as well as chapter bibliographies.
