If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution

by Elizabeth Levy, Joan Holub

In a lively question and answer format, readers are taken behind the locked doors of the Philadelphia State House during the dramatic Constitutional Convention.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Childrens, Picture Books, School, Education

80 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Elizabeth Levy has been writing and publishing books for over thirty years and sometimes now she meets kids whose parents read her books when they were children! She has written over 80 books, a number that continues to surprise her, as it surprises her how long she's been at it.

Over the years they've printed lots of her books - over five million of them.

She loves to try writing different types of books - everything from funny mysteries to novels about kids who get in trouble to history.

One of the most pleasant surprises about writing is that she's been invited to travel all over the country and even the world speaking to children, teachers, and librarians. She's made some wonderful friendships and gotten lots of ideas for her books. One of the most special treats is that kids have drawn wonderful pictures of one of her favorite characters, Fletcher.

She grew up in Buffalo, New York, then went to Brown University, where she majored in history. When she graduated, she came to New York City and worked for ABC-TV and then for Senator Robert Kennedy. She has lived in New York ever since, and she loves it. She knows all the best places for salami, she has run four marathons, and she has completed many 5-borough bike tours, so she thinks she really knows this place well.

At certain times of the year, she can be found out at Shea Stadium watching her team, the New York Mets. She has always loved baseball.

Mostly she enjoys hanging out with her friends. They spend lots of time going to movies or plays, playing sports, having meals together.

When she's alone and not writing, she is usually reading. She reads mysteries a lot, always has, which is probably why many of her books are mysteries.

Reviews

[Haley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

All kids should read this when they are studying the Constitution!

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this non-fiction history book aloud to my children.

This children's book provides a really good overview of the events leading up to the formation of the Constitution, the process by which it was written and signed, and some background information about important historical figures including Ben Franklin, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, James Madison, William Paterson, Roger Sherman, and Luther Martin.

My children and I really enjoyed this book. The language is appropriate for young listeners, and the book provided just enough information in small bites without being too overwhelming. What we found most interesting were the amendments that were added to the Constitution and how they had an impact on the lives of Americans. For example, before the 13th Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1865, it was legal to own slaves.

Joan Holub's illustrations are bright and colourful, and they are featured on nearly every page. It was very interesting for my kids to see how people looked and dressed during that time period.

Overall, I am very impressed with this series and will be looking for more of them to add to our collection. This book is a very good complement to your American history studies, and I would recommend it! The series is marketed as appropriate for Grades 3-5.

MY RATING: 4 stars!! It was very good, and we would recommend it!

[Laura (Book Scrounger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was impressed at how many historical details were included in this overview of the writing of the constitution. It's written in a question-and-answer format, and covers historical context, famous signers, problems and compromises, branches of government, and more, and at the end, discusses why the constitution was called a "miracle."

[Bethany B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boys really loved this one. It simplified the Constitution and the Government so that they could understand.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book in that you get a lot of information. It is not written at all like a story. It is a collection of questions about the constitution and the political reasoning and events surrounding it. There are a lot of things that you can learn about it from an adult or a child’s perspective. Some terminology used, probably would do well with an explanation or a definition somewhere maybe a glossary. I’m not sure what age range this is for because of some of the word choices not being defined.

I really like this book for the educational content and the quotes used.

These are the parts I liked or that stood out to me:

P13 (this is not defined in the text)
aide de camp

P14 (I think this is funny because somebody coming from Georgia to New York now I would probably feel similar. New York is very different than Georgia.)
When William Houston of Georgia went to New York, he wrote that he was leaving “his country to go to a strange land amongst strangers.”

P.18 (I really like these quotes. It is very interesting to see quotes from this time period.)
General Washington was alarmed. “I am mortified beyond expression,” he said, “when I view the clouds that have spread over the brightest morn that ever dawned in any country. What a triumph for our enemies.”

But Thomas Jefferson, another leader of the American Revolution, was not worried. “I like a little rebellion now and then,” he wrote. “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on occasion that I wish it to be always kept alive.”

P20-21
A delegate is someone chosen to speak and act for a group.

P23 (the term “laid in a good bottle” is not defined and to my knowledge not something that is commonly used today)
We do know that Franklin laid in a good bottle of port for them to drink.

P24 (this is the first mention of a black person in the book and the only mention of “Indian”. All other references to Black people are in regards to slavery.)
Name of inn: Indian Queen
A young black servant with powdered hair and a red cape met them at the door.

P26 (This is a very interesting and tricky plan.)
He knew that if he could get his plan talked about first, other people might never get a chance to bring up their own plans.

P27
garden - called a “mall”

p29-30
Ages of delegates- 27 to 81, most early 30s, all richer white men, half were lawyers

P31 (I’ve never known that he was sick before and it’s very interesting to know that you could have hired convicts from jail for the day.)
Benjamin Franklin
Invented lightning rod, bifocals, Franklin stove
Sick
Carried to convention in a chair on 4 long poles carried by 4 convicts who he hired from jail for the day. It was the first sedan chair ever seen in this country.

P34 (I think it’s really interesting that men were stuffing their stockings and I really like the compliment on a person’s leg)

Men at that time wore tight pants called breeches that ended at the knee. They also wore stockings, sometimes of silk. Sometimes men with skinny calves put bags of sand under their stockings to look like muscles. Occasionally, the sandbags would leak over the floor and the ladies would giggle…

People said he (Hamilton) had a “graceful turn of the leg.”

P36 (I guess this is a way that people insulted people for being short back then. Personally, I don’t think this is that short.)
He was short - five feet six. “No bigger than half a piece of soap,” said a man who knew him.

P37 (yet another old-school insult)
Self-made man
He was round, with a rather large head. “He’s the oddest-shaped character l ever remember to have met with,” said a fellow delegate.

P46
Gunning Bedford from Delaware , said, “I do not, gentlemen, trust you. Will you crush the small states?”

P48
The great compromise
Congress would have two houses just like James Madison wanted. Only one house would be based on population, and in the other house each state would be equal.

Our House of Representatives is based on population, and members are selected every 2 years.
In our Senate, all states are equal. Every state has 2 votes. Senators are elected every 6 years.
Both together make up Congress.

P50-51 (I think that the Morris quote is very interesting because it seems like he was for giving slaves the title of men, citizenship, and the right to vote rather than seeing them as property or livestock like other people. If it wasn’t just for his self-interest, I think that this is really cool to see that somebody thought this way at that time. I have to dig more into this to find out.)
Under the compromise, the more people of state had, the more representatives that it would have, and the more power. The southern states wanted to count their slaves as people. Of course, the slaves could not vote, but women and children were counted as people, and they couldn’t vote, either.
The northern states didn’t want to count the slaves. They argued that if slaves could be bought and sold, they were no different from horses or mules. Gouverneur Morris said slavery was “the curse of heaven. Are they men? Then make them citizens and let them vote.” Once again the delegates worked out a compromise. Slaves would be counted as 3/5; in other words, five slaves would count as three whites.

P53
Congress passed the northwest ordinance, which said that all land north of the Ohio river would be “forever free.” No slavery would be allowed there.

P54
During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln would say “the word ‘slavery’ was hid away in the constitution, just as an afflicted man hides away a cancer, which he dares not cut out at once, less he bleed to death.”

P55
“If men were angels, “said James Madison, “no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men… no controls on government would be necessary.”

P58
Article 2, establishes the office of President and its powers.

p59
The president cannot make laws. Only Congress can make laws, but the president has to carry out the laws. And the president can suggest laws.

The delegates made the president commander in chief of the army, but the president cannot declare war on another country. Only Congress can declare war.

P61
James Wilson from Philadelphia kept arguing that the president should be elected by the people as a whole. This was a lot for the delegates to swallow. It was rare for anyone in Georgia to know anyone in Massachusetts. How would anyone ever know who would be the best president?
In the end the delegates made up an “electoral college.” Although the electoral college is a strange and complicated system, James Wilson was right. Almost from the beginning, the president came to be seen as not just from one state, but as someone who has to represent all the people.

P64-65
How are laws passed?
A law begins with the proposal called a bill. Most bills can start in either the house of representatives or the Senate, but before a bill becomes a law, both branches of Congress must vote for it.
Then the president gets the bill. If he or she doesn’t like it, the president can say no, or veto it. (Veto comes from the Latin word for “forbid.”)
But the president’s veto doesn’t have to be the end of a bill. Congress can pass a bill over the presidents veto if 2/3 of both the house and the senate think the bill should be a law.

1. People in the house of representative study the bill. They send it to the Senate.
2. People in the Senate the bill. They send it to the president.
3. The president can sign the bill and then it becomes a law.
4. Or, the president can veto the bill.
5. But Congress can look at the bill again.
(Congress is the House of Representatives and the Senate.)
6. if 2/3 of the house vote yes, and 2/3 of the Senate vote. Yes, the bill then becomes a law.

P65
Why are laws about taxes in the army special?
Bills about taxes and money for armies are not like other bills. They can start only in the house of representatives.
Since representatives are elected, every two years, they can lose their jobs pretty quickly. The delegates thought they would be closer to the people.

P66
(Supreme Court)
The delegates decided to let the president nominate the justices for the Supreme Court. However, the Senate would have to agree with the president’s choice, or the president would have to suggest someone else.

P68
It is not easy to change the constitution with an amendment. An amendment has to be approved by 2/3 of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Then it is taken to the states, where it has to be voted on by either the state legislature or a special convention. 3/4 of all states must pass an amendment before it becomes part of the constitution.

P71
Gouverneur Morris was known as the best writer, so the committee gave the job to him. He wasn’t supposed to change things, just check the spelling and grammar. But Morris was not above putting in a few of his own words. Just look at what he did with the very first line. It had read: “we the people of the states of North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts, etc.”
Morris changed it to “We, the people of the United States”…

P72
“Many a time in my life, I have been absolutely sure I was right, only to change my mind a year or two later. Some people never change their minds. They are always rather ridiculous. I once knew her who told me her sister said to her, ‘ I don’t know how it happens, sister, but I meet with nobody, but myself that is always in the right.’” (Benjamin Franklin).

P73
Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts also refused, but people called him a “Grumbletonian,” someone who always grumbled.

P74-75
Newspapers, published the constitution, and almost everyone had an opinion about it, good or bad.
George Washington called it a “novel and astonishing spectacle of a whole people deliberating calmly on what form of government will be the most conducive to their happiness.”

P78-80
Madison wrote that joining together to lobby or pressure your government for your special interest is as important to liberty as air is to fire. Without it, liberty would die.

The real miracle of the constitution is that the men who wrote it had so much respect for the need of people to control and change their government.

[Margaret Chind · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a year this has been for all of us and especially in learning and teaching about the elections procedures in the United States of America. My girls and I are working on our own pace through the BookShark Reading with History Level 3 books (aka Level D) and we just finished this one. Asked in a question and answer format, these books If You Loved when... are full of details and knowledge. (And of course, we are especially fond of Joan Holub.)

We own an update and revised copy if this book on BookShark Curriculum recommendation. I believe it is also recommended by Sonlight Curriculum Core D and The Good and the Beautiful Reading Level 5.

[Lisa Herring]

Book Title: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution by Elizabeth Levy

Short Description of the Book: In this story, Levy used the sequence of events that lined up to the signing of the constitution. She uses a question and answer format for each page.

Focus: Informational features I would use in a mini lesson:

1). Text features: Students will be shown how to write using text features in their writing.
2). Sequencing: Students will learn how to write in a correct sequence.
3). Question/Answer form: Students will be shown how to write using a question as their guide and then answering the question on the page.

Mini-Lesson:

1. After introducing the book the students will be shown the text features that are used in the book.
2. Students will then write three questions to write about in their writings.
3. Students will write a story using the question and answer process.
4. Students will then conference with the teacher.
5. They will return to revise their writings.

What I expect my students to learn from the lesson.
• I want my students to learn how to write using text features and question/answer sequencing.
• I want my students to be able to revise their writings appropriately.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3a Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3b Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This summer I took our girls to Gunston Hall, the home of George Mason, the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was the model for the U.S. Bill of Rights. After our tour, we visited the gift shop and I purchased this book to read at home. I liked the format and I thought the way the material was presented made it easy to read in sections or all at once.

The narrative is long, but not overwhelming, and the book outlines both the Constitution itself as well as the people who wrote it and signed it. George Mason is famous for not signing the Constitution, because a Bill of Rights was not initially included. He eventually got his way, of course, but his refusal to sign strained his relationships with the nation's leaders, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Overall, we found this to be an informative book. It's not terribly engaging, but we broke up the reading over a couple of nights, so our girls didn't get bored. I think it's a good way to introduce the history of the Constitution or to reinforce concepts that have already been taught. We really enjoyed reading this book together.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of a series about the United States. While it mainly deals with the time during the writing of the Constitution it also addresses who some of the founding fathers were, the Bill of Rights, the American Revolution, and issues like slavery. The pictures are fun and not too whimsical. Like the other books in the series, there is a list of questions in the table of contents so the child can quickly go to the answer in which he or she is most interested.

[Cathy Sheetz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book goes covers the basics of how the constitution came to be. It is told from a white perspective and mentions briefly slavery, but glosses over other aspects of who was involved in writing the constitution and who was not and how that affected everyone.

This could be used provided other perspectives on the topic were used as well in history lesson on how the constitution came to be. Good for 3rd through 6th graders. I would have this in a classroom library.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has the same basic information (give or take a tidbit or two) that the Cheney and Maestro books have. This is a little more textbooky/dry, but still has value. It could easily be read by a middle schooler or even an elementary student with a bit of help for the 'big' words.

I need to read back through all the Constitution books we used to pick a favorite.

[Dorian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book about our Constitution. I would definitely use this to talk to introduce students to our Constitution and how we are affected by it. It is a little more packed than a book I would give to an elementary schooler, but if the student was an advanced reader and interested in the Constitution, then I would consider giving them this book to read.

[Stephanie Klaren]

This book is geared for middle elementary students, the pictures help the reader follow what is going on. This book is all about the beginning of the United States of America and how we parted from England. This book tells the story about the Revolutionary War and and who came up with the Constitution. This would be a good book for a history lesson.

[Massanutten Regional Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph, Central patron, June 2018, 5 stars:

This book gives an excellent introduction to younger audiences and a refresher to adults about how the Constitution was created. I highly recommend this book to all readers of all ages!

[Genoise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to our Constitution for children ages 6-10.

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a little more dense than others in the series and therefore a little bulky for my students. Having said that, I found this to be a great resource to fill in gaps from my textbook.

[Jacqueline Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book talked about the constitution, the declaration of independence and wars that happened back in the day. This is a great book for students learning about history in their classes.
history

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in question/answer format with no nonfiction text features. Pictures are boring and do not engage students. However, this book would be good to use when teaching about the constitution.

[SamZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome informative book about the who, what, when, where, and why of the US Constitution. I loved the simple, straightforward Q&A format that gave lots of information without being overwhelming.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very explainable about the war and about the constitution I love it that is all

[Johnny · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was terrible!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and informative intro to the Constitution for kids. I recommend it for upper elementary students.

[Lara Lleverino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia and I really enjoyed this book. It was a good read aloud for her and we got to learn about our government.

[Franklyn Kornn]

Great book to use to teach the constitution and use in a text set

[Lauren White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for grades 2-5

[Julia Reffner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonlight Core D readaloud. Fascinating and fun book about the founding principles of our nation and some of our founders.

[Jersc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative summary of the making of our government.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whelp. I'm reading all the kids books at work, it seems. But this one was festive and informative. Wonder what I'll pick up next.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful little informative book about how the Constitution was written and who was there and what its impact on history has been so far.