Book excerpt: The Founding of the American Republic aims to provide a fair and thorough reappraisal of the Founding of the American Republic. Oftentimes, the Founders are, when not forgotten, made to fit some "ideological box" -liberals or conservatives, villains or saints. This book proves that such views need to be reconsidered, free from past ideologies and interpretations, to recover their teaching and foster a better understanding of contemporary politics. To do so, the authors let the Founders speak for themselves, by looking first at the Declaration of Independence, which reveals their vision of state and federal authority. Next, they examine how the Declaration was incorporated into the Articles of Confederation, in effect the first Constitution, and finally the Constitution of 1787, the most profound manifestation of the Founders' view of the nature of American politics and society. The Founding of the American Republic takes a broad view of the Founding while resisting an ideologically charged reading of history. A lively, historically accurate analysis for anyone interested in American political history and culture.