Spenser's Story of the Constitution

Gr 4–6—As a fictional caretaker of the State House in Philadelphia, Spenser the cat witnessed a lot of history being made and counted many famous people as his friends. Spenser retells the story behind the U.S. Constitution for middle graders. In May 1787, 55 delegates met in Philadelphia to write a new governing document for the 13 states. The existing Articles of Confederation was weak—they didn't allow for collection of taxes and didn't provide for a strong central government. States with large populations proposed that the new governing legislature be selected by population. This was opposed by smaller states. Spenser describes how he came up with an idea that appeases all parties: the Great Compromise. Throughout the narrative, Spenser offers background on figures such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Edmund Randolph, William Paterson, and Benjamin Franklin. Brief sketches of the Founding Fathers and Spenser are scattered throughout the work, and back matter includes the Constitution and the first 10 amendments.