“Democratic Beginnings shows that late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century founders of western constitutions not only approached their task in a different fashion than framers of the federal constitution but also differed from earlier generations of state constitutionmakers, on account of the distinct problems of governance they encountered and their readiness to adopt innovative provisions in response to these challenges.” John Dinan, ... Read moreauthor of Keeping the People’s Liberties: Legislators, Citizens, and Judges as Guardians of Rights “Constitution-writing was an essential part of the process of state-building in the American West, and those events have too long been hidden in the shadows. This book finally brings them to light, and in doing so helps illuminate American political development broadly.” Keith Whittington, Department of Politics at Princeton University. Show Less