Fault Lines in the Constitution
The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws That Affect US Today
Candlewick Press · Print & ebook · July 22, 2025
Many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in the US Constitution.
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- Who it’s for
- Explore how the Framers’ choices shaped political problems, and what solutions other constitutions suggest.
- Themes
- Constitutional history, Contemporary US politics, Constitutional reform
- Genres
- Civics & Government, U.S. History
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For older readers: We the People, No Democracy Lasts Forever, Fault Lines
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Many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in the US Constitution. This book explores 21 of the fault lines that were created in 1787 and are still causing problems today. "Should be read by every single adult who lives in America.” —Laurie Halse Anderson Many of us take certain features in our political system for granted, even when we complain about them.
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But these fault lines didn’t spontaneously arise—they have their roots in the Constitution itself, the result of disagreements and compromises made by the Framers in 1787—and we’re still feeling the ramifications today. Fault Lines in the Constitution takes readers back to the creation of this historic document and discusses the original intent and worldview of the Framers, when and how problems arose after the fact, and possible solutions for those problems, inspired by both constitutions of individual US states and other countries. Each chapter begins with a true story that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. Written by an award-winning middle grade author and a constitutional law scholar, this new edition includes updated content throughout; two new chapters on Impeachment and Secession; significant expansion of the chapters on Emergency Powers and Term Limits; and revisions throughout that reflect political and social changes leading up to and following the 2024 national election.
Constitutional Fault Lines
Explore how the Framers’ choices shaped political problems, and what solutions other constitutions suggest.
Come here for
- Twenty-one constitutional fault lines rooted in disagreements and compromises from 1787
- Possible solutions inspired by state and other countries’ constitutions
Expect
- Chapters opening with true stories tied to sections of the Constitution
- A new edition with updated content and chapters on impeachment and secession
Where it sits
| Civics & Government | 97% |
|---|---|
| U.S. History | 71% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- U.S. History
- Civics & Government
- Activism & Social Justice
- Authors
- Cynthia Levinson, Sanford Levinson
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press
- Published
- July 22, 2025
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Constitutional history · Contemporary US politics · Constitutional reform
- Reading lane
- U.S. History