Inventing America—Conversations with the Founders (HC)

“Insightful…Entertaining… A reminder of how much we owe our forefathers.”—Richard Beeman, author of Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution.

“Inventing America is a terrific way to introduce our nation’s founders to a new generation of Americans.”—Gleaves Whitney, presidential historian

At the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia an elderly woman approached Benjamin Franklin as he was leaving the Pennsylvania State House. “Tell me, Dr. Franklin, she said, “do we have a republic or a monarchy?” Dr. Franklin replied: “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.”

What would our Founding fathers think if they could see our country today? Would they turn over in their graves? Or would they be astonished that our republic is still alive? George Washington, who presided at the 1787 convention, predicted it wouldn’t last twenty years, so take a guess.

Inventing America: Conversations with the Founders takes you behind the scenes of the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. See how these are not just dusty old parchments stored away in a museum but how they define us as Americans and serve—through good times and bad—as a beacon of freedom to the world.

MILTON J. NIEUWSMA is a two-time Emmy Award-winning writer and creator of the PBS series Inventing America: Conversations with the Founders. He and his wife, Marilee, have three children and seven grandchilden and live in Holland, Michigan.