How the founding generation came to craft the American presidency

Amid growing controversies about the nature and reach of executive power, it is essential to re-examine the roots of the presidency: its purposes, powers and duties, institutional design, and its proper place within the republic. Forging the Executive Power offers a comprehensive account of the creation of the American presidency, from 1775, when war with Great Britain began, through 1789, when George Washington took the oath of office.

Gary Schmitt and Joseph Bessette explain how the founding generation moved from regarding executive power as a danger to Americans' liberties to embracing the view that an effective chief executive would perform an essential role in responsible government. They examine in detail the insufficiencies of the state governors; the failure of the Articles of Confederation to provide for an effective national executive; how the Constitutional Convention institutionalized these lessons; how the ratification debate of 1787-88 sheds light on the ineradicable tension between a strong executive and republican principles, and conclude with an account of the key precedents set by George Washington as the first holder of the nation's highest office.