The Constitution is the mainspring of American public life. It guides how we govern ourselves and embodies our national ideals. We venerate the founding fathers for giving us a political and moral compass that retains its power two centuries hence, and many Americans stand with Abraham Lincoln in proclaiming our nation "the last best hope on earth." And yet, even as we marvel at the grandeur of our constitutional system, we can't resist tinkering with it. Amending America seeks to answer the enduring question, "If we love the Constitution so much, why do we keep trying to change it?" Richard B. Bernstein and Jerome Agel tell the dramatic story of how, over the past two hundred years, the American people have reshaped the Constitution to meet the country's changing needs. - Jacket flap.