Fault Lines in the Constitution

This freshly-revised edition of an essential middle-grade exploration of the US Constitution shows how the political problems of today stem from bitter haggling in an overheated room in 1787.
"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. 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.