John Marshall and the Constitution: A Chronicle of the Supreme Court

Chronicles of America #16

by Edward S. Corwin

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

87 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1919

About the author

Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University.

Reviews

[Brett Van Gaasbeek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title is a little dated but still interesting to read. I found the writing style to be difficult and the lexile level to be rather high, which slowed the reading quite a bit. Plus, much of this was like reading an actual Supreme Court case, so the enjoyment in reading was replaced by the feeling that I was doing a homework assignment for Political Science 343 in college. Still, if you are a student of the Supreme Court or looking for a better grasp on the Marshall court (that's me), then this would be worth the read. It at least gave me better insight into the Dartmouth case and the larger importance of Gibbons v. Ogden, but was a little rough on the coverage of Marbury. The author spent way too much time on the Burr Conspiracy, but I have a feeling they were attempting to put it into the historical context of the place of the Courts during the early republic, so it made sense.

[Ed Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judicially Focused

Discussing many of Marshall’s decisions in plain English, as well as a solid biography in a compact, easy to read book. The bibliography is as valuable as the book itself for the scholar, and the easy read is at a level that a high school senior or college student can enjoy. A good, judicially focused biography.

[jim copley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explains the man

I have read much about John Marshall this book has helped me understand the man and what he thought. Other books have been more about what he accomplished and not about why.

[Bcoghill Coghill · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick sketch of the man and the formation of the Court.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worthwhile read for an overview of John Marshall's impact on the interpretation of the Constitution.

[Diana Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

79. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1801-1835) I found the work interesting and informative albeit somewhat over my head when it came to referencing court cases. One case I found particularly interesting was when Aaron Burr, that wiley rascal, was being accused of treason. Seems he planned to create his own army and start a war with Spain over Mexico. Very interesting indeed. Also it appears that then as now, not everyone was on board with the Constitution and how to interpret it.