BYU Speeches Utah and the Constitution: A New National Narrative | Akhil Reed Amar | September 2023
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Sep 27, 2023 
Akhil Reed Amar, a Yale University professor, discusses the birth of the U.S. Constitution, challenging common misconceptions and emphasizing the role of national security and geography. He explores the framing of California's Constitution, the compromises of 1850, and the absence of major gold or silver veins in New Mexico. Additionally, he discusses missed opportunities in ending slavery worldwide and the need to understand our national story.
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Constitution Unites America
- America is bound by a common Constitution and its underlying story despite vast diversity in religion, race, language, and geography.
- Without this common constitutional narrative, the sense of "we" as Americans risks dissolving.
Constitution's Democratic Reality
- The Constitution was surprisingly democratic for its time, with broad voting inclusion and no property qualifications for federal offices.
- The narrative that it was an elite project by the wealthy 1% overlooking democracy is more wrong than right.
Washington's Constitution Focus
- The Constitution’s root purpose was about national security and geography rather than pure democratic theory.
- George Washington’s influence shaped a Constitution focused on maintaining a small, defensible national army and navy.