Inventing Equality

Inventing Equality unveils how the United States Constitution conceived and continuously reconstructed the idea of equality. Michael A. Bellesiles explores the often-overlooked struggles embedded within constitutional texts, focusing especially on the amendments enacted following the Civil War.
The book thoroughly analyzes the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, dissecting the political implications of race, gender, and citizenship. Bellesiles reveals the significant distance between constitutional reforms and the ideal of equality, while documenting the persistent fight of the American people to achieve these ideals.
Highly praised by scholars in history, constitutional law, and sociology, this work is not only a historical account but also a critical source for understanding how equality is not an inherent right but one painstakingly constructed through struggle and sacrifice.