The Triumphs of the Constitutional Convention

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CNN's John Sutter looks at some of the triumphs and tragedies of America. He begins by looking at a debate between two men, Adams and Jefferson in 18th century. They were arguing over who should be sovereign; it ended up being an argument about slavery. The issue was resolved on the fields of battle during the Civil War, Sutter says.

Joseph Ellis, of Mt. Holyoke College and author of American Creation, talks about the triumphs and tragedies of the founding of the United States. His goal in the book and in this podcast is to tell a story for grownups rather than for children, where the Founders are neither saints nor evil white, patriarchal slave-holding demons. It is a nuanced story of triumph--a military victory over a seemingly unbeatable vastly more experienced army, the creation of the first geographically large republic, a nation without a state religion, a nation that creates a party system with a loyal opposition, a Constitution with the virtues of ambiguous sovereignty, and tragedy--the failure to resolve the slavery issue, and the tragic conflict with the Native Americans. Some of these outcomes were intended by the Founders, others emerged unintended.