The failure of the founding fathers

This book uncovers previously unknown aspects of the 1800 electoral college crisis, offering a fresh perspective on the early development of the plebiscitarian presidency and the Supreme Court's role in interpreting popular mandates constitutionally. Through detailed analysis of two Supreme Court cases, it illustrates how the court integrated Federalist and Republican ideas into the nascent republic's living Constitution. The work explores how the rise of political parties nearly shattered the newly formed Constitution, a development the Framers had not foreseen, and how the Constitution's rules intensified the crisis during the 1800 presidential battle between Republicans and Federalists.