The Philadelphia Convention

The Philadelphia Convention (also know as the Constitutional Convention) took place in May - September of 1787. Fifty-five delegates representing all states except Rhode Island had come to Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. This meeting would "forever decide the fate of Republican Government" as James Madison put it. The delegates were mainly merchants or "monied men" such as Benjamin Franklin (representing Philadelphia) , George Washington, Robert Morris, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. There was only one farmer, but there really was no "common people" like artisans or tenants at the convention. Would having more common people represent the states make any difference?
The delegates chose Washington to preside over the meeting, which was to be held in secret at the Pennsylvania State House. James Madison's Virginia Plan was what the delegates were to consider. It was different from the Articles of Confederation in three ways: It rejected state sovereignty in favor of the "supremacy of national authority", it called for a national government to draw authority from the people and to exercise direct power on them, and it created a three tier national government where the lower house of the legislature would be elected by the people. However it had two major flaws, one of them being that the lower house of the legislature would have more influence from the larger states because membership was based on population. Representatives from smaller states rejected this because they felt that the larger states would not listen to them and "crush" them. So the smaller states favored the New Jersey Plan because it treated the states equally by allowing each state to have one vote in a unicameral legislature. And the larger states opposed this provision. After much debate, the Great Compromise was accepted, allowing each state two representatives in the lower house while the House of Representatives would be based on population.
Slavery was also debated upon, but rarely. They decided that slaves would only count as three-fifths of a free person in determining a state's representation in Congress.
The Convention was over in September of 1787 when Benjamin Franklin urged the 41 delegates still present to sign the Constitution. All but three signed it.

Shay's Rebellion

Shays’ Rebellion was an uprising in Massachusetts in 1786 and 1787 caused by excessive land taxation, high legal costs, and economic depression following the American Revolution. This rebellion was only one of many protests that took place during this period.

The dissatisfied, who were mainly poor farmers threatened with loss of their property and imprisonment for debt, were headed by Daniel Shays, a former captain in the American Revolution army. They demanded protective legislation, the abolition of the court of common pleas, and a radical reduction of taxes. In 1786, armed mobs prevented the sitting of the courts at Northampton, Worcester, Great Barrington, and Concord; and Shays, with his followers, broke up a session of the state supreme court in Springfield. Shays and his men marched into Springfield to seize the federal arsenal, but they were held back by a force of militia under the American general Benjamin Lincoln. The rebels fled toward Petersham, where they were finally defeated. Most of the men were pardoned later in the year; Shays, condemned to death, escaped to Vermont and was pardoned a year later.

Shays' rebellion and the other protests forced the leaders and politicians of the young nation to take note. The existing Articles of Confederation, which provided for the basic laws of the nation, were not an effective means of governing. How influential were these protests to the nation's leaders in their formulation and ratification of the Constitution?

The Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation is the first national constitution created for the soon-to-be independent colonies. The Articles provided a very loose structure for the national government and put most of the power in that of the state governments. The Federal government could not levy taxes directly or control trade. This proved to be problematic after the Revolutionary War was over when the nation was left in a large amount of debt. The states retained their powers over "sovereignty, freedom, and independence" along with any powers not "expressly delegated" to the national government. Most Americans were in favor of this at the time because they did not want to see a strong, centralized national government turn into the same tyrannical authority they had been under with Great Britain.

While the national government was limited in most of its power, it could still declare war, borrow and print money and receive funds from states to benefit the nation. This made it possible for there to be some form of tax, but if states did not want to they did not have to contribute to the national government fund.

Could the United States have succeeded and continued to thrive under the power of the Articles of Confederation, or was revision necessary in order to maintain a stronger balance between the federal and state governments?

The French Alliance

The alliance America created with France proved to be a turning point in the war. The French still very upset with the loss to Brittan were eager to in some way seek revenge. In 1776 Comte De Vergennes, the French foreign minister, persuaded King Louis the XVI to give the colonies a secret loan of supplies which were much needed. On the front line for the Americans Benjamin Franklin began to seek an alliance with the French. Skeptical at first the French did not want to commit to losing cause but when the news hit Paris of the victory of Saratoga, the French agreed to a formal alliance with the colonies. One of the underlined agreements for aide from the French would allow the French access to the great American west after the war.
The British were quick to act by repealing all former taxes in hope to end the lingering war. The colonist were devoted to their cause and rejected the offers. Without the alliance with the French the war would have not been won by the colonies.

The American "Path to Victory"

Our book states many components to "The Path to Victory", that the Patriots took in the Revolutionary War. The book states Patriot Advantages, such as, having 2/3 of the American population supporting the war to some extent, whether it be 1/3 of the population unwavering support of the Patriots, the other 1/6 of the population, who did not "completely" agree or support the Patriots, but still paid taxes, or the 1/6 of the population who joined the Patriot Militia. We are all in college, so you should be able to see how(by adding 2/6 A.K.A. 1/3(population that was unwavering) plus 1/6(population that paid taxes that supported the war effort) plus 1/6(population that joined the Patriot Militia), which in turn equals the fraction 4/6's A.K.A. 2/3's) I came to the fraction 2/3's. Another advantage was the fact that the Continental Army was lead by George Washington, in my opinion one the greatest risk taking Generals ever. Not only did he lead the Continental Army, but Washington was heavily supported by the governing bodies that ran each state, and by Congress, because he "deferred to civil authorities. And the most important advantage was the fact that unlike the British generals, Washington COULD make mistakes, because most of the local governments were ran by "Who else?", but the Patriots. And because of this they could, at anytime especially when it was crucial to the victory, call for and "mobilize the rural militia to assist his(Washington's) Continental Army. The biggest component, the alliance between the U.S. and France. The Treaty of Alliance of February 1778 combined the need for a patriot ally, and one of the most powerful military and trade nations in the world. The treaty stated that there would be an agreement between the states and France, that neither would sign a peace agreement with another country until the "liberty,sovereignty, and independence of the U.S. was garunteed. This alliance somewhat pumped up the morales of the Continental Army and the Patriot militia. The french wanted redemption on Britian, and in turn would help with the giving of soldiers and supplies to the U.S. This help from the French would be seen in many influential and critical victories on the part of the states, especially in the Battle of Yorktown in October 1781. Where Washington strategic final plan would pay off. Washington announced that he would attack New York and when he did so he planned to recapture the city. But it was a mock announcement, he was really leading GeneralRochambeaus army from Rhode Island to Virginia to sneak up on General Cornwallis whos troops were suffering from the war of attrition. At the same time, numerous French naval boats came together off the coast, taking over the Chesapeak Bay. It was to late when Cornwallis figured out what was actually happening, he was already surrounded by19,000 American and French troops. He soon surrendered. I have 2 questions for you. Could the U.S. of won the Revolution without George Washington? What about without France? I personally think they couldn't have done it without the presence of each one.

Saratoga Victory

The British planned to isolate the New England colonies. In order to do this General John Burgoyne was sent from the Lake Champlain to the Hudson river. While this was going on Colonel Barry St. Leger would attack from the west and General Howe would would send troops North from New York City. Howe however decided to attack Philadelphia and end the war with a victory over Washington's army. Leading to the defeat of Burgoyne's army. Making it to the Hudson river they were stalled at Saratoga, and raided Bennington, Vermont. They were then attacked my American militiamen. The troops that were supposed to be sent to New York were sent to Philidelphia leaving Burgoyne's army helples, forced to surrender.

This victory led to the French joining the colonists in their battle for independence eventually helping them to win the war. If General Howe had not made his decision to go to Philadelphia instead of to New York would the war have turned out the same way? Was this war won because of British military mistakes?

Common Sense

Common Sense was a pamphlet wrote by Thomas Paine. He states that: "Monarchy and heredity succession have laid the world in blood and ashes" (170). He also calls the King George III a Pharoh of England. Paine is a huge influence on how people see independence. He takes quotes from the bible and mixes them with insults directed at the king. He also states: "A government of our own is our natural right...'Tis time to part" (171).

Thomas Paine's pamphlet went on to have twenty-five editions. Thousands of people read it andd it opened up their minds on the importance of independence. Do you believe that Thomas Paine inspired Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence? Do you think that it greatly inspired Washington's troops to keep fighting the war? If you lived during this time period would you have favored this pamphlet and set forth for independence?