Forward To Freedom - The American Constitution and Humanity’s Struggle for Liberty Across the Ages is a fast-paced, informative, and inspiring account of the Constitution and its historical roots. It should be a must-read for all citizens of the United States, those aspiring to become its citizens, and others seeking to understand “government by the people.”
The daily news is filled with references to separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, judicial review, and other constitutional principles. All these require comprehension of the Constitution if “we the people” are to hold our leaders accountable to rule within constitutional bounds. Forward To Freedom provides us such comprehension.
The Framers of the Constitution deeply believed that the hand of Divine Providence is at work in history. They well knew the exciting story of humanity’s struggle for liberty across the ages and viewed the Constitution as a culminating moment in that struggle and one in which God played a role.
As the Framers knew, six thousand or more years ago the earliest civilizations of the Middle East crushed freedom in the name of divine right of one man to rule. Ancient Israel, which experienced several hundred years of republican government, proved the only exception. Freedom made some progress in Classical Greece and Rome, and the Framers learned from the Greek and Roman political philosophers. But Greece’s efforts to build a stable democracy and Rome’s attempt to remain a republic both ultimately failed.
The Framers thoroughly understood how limited government slowly developed in England during centuries of effort to limit kings. Final victory for freedom came with the Glorious Revolution of 1688 when consent of the governed henceforth became the basis of English government. At that time, English philosopher John Locke articulated fundamentally new principles of politics that rapidly became widely accepted in England and Colonial America. When England tried to greatly increase control over the American colonies than before, the result was the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence, which reflected many of John Locke’s ideas.
The ideals proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence¬—liberty, equality, unalienable rights, and consent of the governed—remained only empty ideals until the Constitution institutionalized them in a functioning government. The Constitution is indeed the product of compromises reached at the Convention, but it also reflects agreement on fundamental principles of enormous importance. The Constitutional Convention produced a document that remains the oldest of any nation, and that became a model for the world and object of veneration by Americans. More than any other single factor, the Constitution accounts for the fact that the United States became the most prosperous and powerful nation in history.
Industry Reviews
For Schools, Colleges, Teachers, and All Citizens
Jerry Combee is a serious and highly regarded scholar of American politics and history. This book is an open, comprehensive, fast-paced, and easy to understand overview of America's political history. The finest aspect of the book is the way Dr. Combee brings the philosophical and religious history of Western Civilization to bear on and illuminate the Founding and direction of America. It is a book for teachers, for high school and introductory collegiate classes in American politics, and for all citizens and legislators. I believe religious academies and colleges should especially take note.
— John T. Agresto
This Book Is Amazing!
I have often been in awe of the wisdom of the Founding Fathers who wrote our constitution. To see how radical (for their times) their thinking was and how thoroughly they understood the long-term ramifications of their work is humbling indeed. Until now I did not understand the purpose of the Federalist Papers, and Dr. Combee explains this and more so clearly. I would have liked to have studied this book 50 years ago when I was in high school. I am glad to have read it now.
Forward To Freedom should be required reading for each and every of our U.S. senators and representatives.
—Fred Hinker
5 Stars - Comprehensive Book on the Constitution
I have read many works on political philosophy and history and must say that this book ranks among the best I have encountered. Combee delivers. Most illuminating to me was his discussion of Madison and his views on Factions and how the Constitution is meant to solve them before they become a problem. Also, a quote from Gouverneur Morris about a trip he and Washington took to Valley Forge some 10 years after the Revolution took my breath away.
Comprehensive but fast-paced, this book is well worth reading.
— Amazon.com Reviewer
5 Stars - Enlightening and Educational
I learned here many details regarding the centuries long evolution of the concept of man's unalienable right to freedom. Confirms my belief that a government's role is to be more of a referee than a director.
—Amazon.com cedarphil
5 Stars - A Welcome Positive Note for America in the Current Atmosphere of Slash and Burn Analysis
As a History and Government teacher of long experience, I am always searching for a text that is accessible to my students. This book by Mr. Combee is just that sort of work; clear and concise, with a logical format, steady progression from one topic to the next, and a point of view. ... . I am using this book as a supplemental text for my classes and would recommend it to any teacher for the same.
— Amazon.com BJ
Beautifully Enlightening
The author clearly explains the surprising (to me) origins of the US Constitution. He explains beautifully the history and process that led the Founding Fathers to the development of this incredible never-before-conceived recipe for governance without tyranny. As a young citizen of the United States, I loved it!
—M. Niland
