Confederation and Constitution

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Confederation and Constitution

After the American Revolution, a new government had to be established. The Constitution that was written took power away from the people. It led to rebellions from poor people and farmers.

Daniel Shays, a former Revolutionary Army captain, led a rebellion with farmers, against laws which were not fair to the poor. They protested against excessive taxes on property, polling taxes which obtained the poor from voting, unfair actions by the court of common requests, the high cost of lawsuits, and the lack of a stable currency. They wanted the government to issue paper money, since it is cheaper then gold and silver coins.

Once retired George Washington heard of this, he immediately went to Massachusetts to stop it. He was completely shocked to see the people fighting against the country which fought to free those men. “What a triumph for the advocates of despotism to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves, and that systems founded on the basis of equal liberty are merely ideal and fallacious.” (George Washington Expresses Alarm 1786) He said this to the rebels who then stopped and the rebellion was crushed.

After Shays rebellion collapsed, the government realized that they need a new constitution and to strengthen the Articles of Confederation. This was a long and hard decision on whether to give the people the right to voice their opinions or not. Mixed views on the subject were given so it was very difficult to come to a conclusion. Mr.

Sherman of Connecticut “opposed the election by the people, insisting that it ought to be by the state legislatures. The people, he said, immediately should have as little to do as may be about the government. They want [lack] information and are constantly liable to be misled.” (The Debate on Representation in Congress 1787). Mr. Sherman is saying that people should not have anything to do with what the government has to do.

They only get information wrong and can be misled and misdirected into something that can be bad for the country.

Mr. Gerry of Massachusetts believes “the evils we experience flow from the excess of democracy.” While Mr. Mason of Virginia “argued strongly for an election of the larger branch by the people.” The representatives of these states viewed different ideas on democracy. Some wanted the people to have more of a say while others wanted to...

... middle of paper ...

...ystem is without the security of a bill of rights. These are objections which are not local, but apply equally to all the states.” (Elbridge Gerry, Letter to President of Senate and Speaker of House of Representatives of Massachusetts, October 18, 1787). Gerry is saying that no government can represent the people, only the people can represent the people. It’s not only in Massachusetts that this problem of representation, it’s all thirteen states.

During the time the Constitution was written, the Founding Fathers believed the government was based on property. “Men who have no property lack the necessary stake in an orderly society to make stable or reliable citizens” (The American Political Tradition). While John Adams said there could be “no free government without a democratical branch in the constitution” John Jay felt “The people who own the country ought to govern it.” This proves that there were many mixed feelings about the Constitution, but still, the power went “from the many to the few”. There are only a hand full of people that can run the country during the time the Constitution was written, and even today, but the ratio between politicians and “farmers” is great.

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