Constitutional scholar Ilan Wurman joins for a conversation on his new book, The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction. Written to coincide with the semiquincentennial of American independence, the book offers a fresh examination of the Constitution’s origins, structure, separation of powers, and the relationship between the Constitution and the American founding. Wurman explores how the Constitution was understood at its creation and the questions that have animated constitutional debates for over two centuries. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.
We invite you to be part of the conversation by submitting questions for the author via email at [email protected].
Guests joining us at the Center for the program will enjoy exclusive access to our two new permanent galleries, Governing the Nation and America’s Founding.
About the Author
Wurman is the Julius E. Davis Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota, where he teaches constitutional law and administrative law. He is the author of A Debt Against the Living: An Introduction to Originalism (Cambridge University Press 2017), and The Second Founding: An Introduction to the Fourteenth Amendment (Cambridge University Press 2021).
About NCC Book Clubs
This event is part of the National Constitution Center’s Book Club series, which invites Americans of all ages to engage with works by leading scholars and thinkers exploring the Constitution, American history, and the ideas that shape our constitutional democracy. Through conversations with authors representing a range of perspectives, the series encourages thoughtful discussion grounded in primary sources and constitutional principles. The Center convenes these conversations as a forum for learning and dialogue. The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Constitution Center. Programs will be offered both virtually and in person at the Center in Philadelphia.
Purchase the book: The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction
