Facts About the Constitution
The American Revolution came to an end in 1783. Because of their new-found freedom, the thirteen colonies jealously held to their own local independence. A loose form of government, called The Articles of Confederation, had already been adopted in 1777 and ratified in 1781, even before the war officially ended.
By early 1787, it was obvious that The Articles of Confederation did not suffice, as multiple sectional issues arose. Ninety delegates were summoned to the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) for meetings to amend The Articles of Confederation. Only fifty-five came, and soon the delegates realized that they needed to abolish what had been put in place, and create an entirely new system of government. The meetings took four months, resulting in the document that still resonates today, and has served as the template for many other republics around the world.
Here are ten facts about The Constitution:
1. The incident known as Shays’ Rebellion was the main catalyst in calling for the Constitutional Convention. During the summer of 1786, a financial depression had settled over the colonies. The cost of the war had bankrupted many. Farmers and laborers who had been promised payment for their enlistment received practically nothing three years after the war ended. Daniel Shays from Massachusetts, who had served as a captain in the Continental Army, was disgusted with the state for turning a deaf ear to the many problems shared by the veterans. In August, a dissatisfied group began blocking entrances to the court houses so that judges could not foreclose on their farms. The rebellion escalated to armed insurrection – and the state of Massachusetts found themselves powerless to stop them. General Washington, who had spent years on the battlefield to free the colonies from a tyrant king, saw the danger of the new nation failing before it even started. Speaking with other concerned statesmen, such as his former aide Alexander Hamilton, and Virginia delegate James Madison, it was decided that something had to change – and quickly.
2. The Constitutional Convention lasted for 116 days. Independence Hall was shuttered from May to September, the men were sworn to secrecy, and the arguments and concerns began in earnest. Some of those known as our Founding Fathers were not in attendance. Thomas Jefferson was in France. Patrick Henry simply refused to come – he wanted no part of any convention. Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration, also declined to attend. George Wythe was unable to attend, because his wife was seriously ill. Ben Franklin also at first demurred, citing ill health, but when others did not answer the call, he relented and attended, adding his significant wisdom to the convention.
3. George Washington was chosen as the President of the Constitutional Convention. The former general-in-chief of the Continental Army, and beloved by the populace, General Washington presided over the four-month long convention. The chair, with a rising sun etched in its top front, still stands in Independence Hall. He sat in the chair every day during the meetings.
4. James Madison was called The Father of the Constitution. Madison, at age 36, was one of the younger delegates, and before the Convention he was a member of the Virginia House. Having grown up in a wealthy household, Madison enjoyed a thorough education by a private Scottish tutor, who schooled him in all the great nations, governments, and republics of ancient times. A scholar, Madison wrote much of The Constitution and argued the different aspects of it. He was particularly adept at the Checks and Balances system (executive, legislative, and judicial branches, who would keep any of the three from too much power), and the importance of the two different components for Congress: The Senate (with two senators from each state) and the House of Representatives (electors by populace). He also wrote the Bill of Rights.
5. The Bill of Rights wasn’t added to the Constitution until 1791. Some of the delegates refused to sign The Constitution on September 17, 1787 because it lacked a Bill of Rights. Having been denied those rights by King George III, they wanted to ensure that the American populace would retain the rights of those particular freedoms of religion, speech, press, the ability to bear arms in defense and the right to a fair and speedy trial, among others. Some who refused to sign because that bill was not in existence yet were Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Richard Henry Lee.
6. Article VII of the Constitution declared that nine of the thirteen colonies had to ratify it in order to make it official. Lasting from September 1787 until June 1788, the ratification process seemed slow. The first state to ratify The Constitution was Delaware, on December 7, 1787. Pennsylvania followed on December 12. New Jersey came third for ratification on December 18. The next six states that signed on in 1788 were Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and finally New Hampshire – the ninth state – which caused the document to be ratified on June 21, 1788. Virginia and New York soon followed that summer. The last of the colonies to ratify the Constitution, Rhode Island, didn’t do so until late November 1789. George Washington had already been elected President of the United States and had taken the oath of office six months earlier.
7. The oldest signer of the Constitution was Benjamin Franklin and the youngest was Jonathan Dayton. Ben Franklin was 81 years old in 1787, and in ill health. Often, men had to carry him to the meetings on a stretcher, as a flare-up of gout rendered him unable to walk. He also suffered from gall stones and was often in pain. Yet, he attended faithfully and was actively engaged each day. The youngest delegate who signed the document was Jonathan Dayton from New Jersey. He was just 26 years old, and was a veteran of the Revolution.
8. The Federalist Papers were written to educate the populace about the new Constitution. As the ratification process took nine months, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison took the task upon themselves to write essays on the merits of ratifying the Constitution. Delegate John Jay also contributed to these papers, but Hamilton wrote the majority of them, with Madison a close second. Newspapers throughout the thirteen colonies circulated these essays, written in elevated language and with convincing argument for the passage of the new government. They were later put in book form and entitled The Federalist Papers.
9. A ratio of 3/5 was needed for the Constitution to be passed by the assembly, then it would go to the states for ratification. Of the fifty-five delegates who sweltered and argued for four months in the Pennsylvania State House, thirty-nine signed the Constitution. Thirty-three were needed; fortunately, the majority was not razor-thin. Three of those who had signed the Declaration of Independence also signed The Constitution: Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Morris. While Sherman was a native of Connecticut, Franklin and Morris were both from Pennsylvania.
10. The Constitution is a document that created a Constitutional Republic. In ill-health and with mobility problems, Ben Franklin had to be helped to the table to sign the document. He wept as he signed it, filled with gratitude that they had a nation at last. After the majority of thirty-nine signed the Constitution, the long-lasting assemblage was dismissed. As the men exited Independence Hall, a crowd – having gathered daily – was waiting to hear the result. When a woman asked Dr. Franklin what kind of government we had, he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”
The United States is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. Since the inception of the Constitution, we have enjoyed living in the oldest existing republic in today’s world. Many nations have used our form of government as a template for their own independence. It is interesting to note that most countries in the world today are provided with some form of republic. Only a few decades after America’s birth, many nations in South America also reached independence in the early 19th century: Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay and others followed suit.
Benjamin Franklin’s admonition rings true today – we have a republic, if we can keep it.
Pass the word.
