Deep Dive | America 250
The Constitution & A New Nation
October 2025
Eager to learn more about U.S. History and the America 250 celebration? Carefully curated by local historians and academics, these modules (one for each month of the America 250 celebration) will offer a deep dive into various periods of U.S. History. These recommendations are offered as a free and optional resource with a corresponding list of books, podcast episodes, documentaries, and more that explore themes and specific timeframes within the history of our nation.
Please note: These resources are offered as an optional learning opportunity and are not a required part of any America 250 programs. All reading and viewing materials are optional and meant to enrich your personal learning experience. Some topics may be thought-provoking or sensitive, but all have been curated with care and respect. We invite you to explore topics that interest you and delve into them at your own pace as we commemorate our nation's past.
This history deep dive covers the development of the U.S. Constitution and the birth of a new nation.
Thank you for joining us!

GENERAL INTEREST BOOKS
- Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution - Richard Beeman
- The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789 - Joseph Ellis
- The Bill of Rights: The Fight to Secure America’s Liberties - Carol Berkin
DEEP DIVE
- The Cabinet: Washington and the Creation of an American Institution - Lindsay Chervinsky
- A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America’s First Presidential Campaign - Edward J. Larson
- America's Constitution: A Biography - Akhil Reed Amar
- The Federalist Papers
- Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787-1788 - Pauline Maier
KIDS & YOUNG ADULTS
- A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution - Betsy Maestro
- We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States - David Catrow
- We the People: The Story of Our Constitution- Lynne Cheney
LITERATURE & HISTORICAL FICTION

- Constitution USA with Peter Sagal (2013) TV-PG
- Race for the White House: S1E5 Jackson vs. Adams
- The War of 1812
- We Shall Remain: S1E2 Tecumseh’s Vision
- Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories: S1E6 The Bald Eagle
- Slavery and the Making of America: S1E2 Liberty in the Air
- High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America S1E3 Our Founding Chefs (Netflix)

- History That Doesn’t Suck - Episodes 15-16
- American History Tellers- Season 20: Rebellion in the Early Republic
- Presidential - George Washington: The man, the myth, the legend
- Constitutional - (episodes cover various topics relating to the Constitution)
- Ben Franklin’s World - Episode 188- The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798


