The Formation of the United States: Part VIII-Ratification Part Two

The Confederation Period lasted from 1783 to 1789. Following the end of the American Revolution in 1783, the newly independent states retained their sovereignty but were part of a confederation of states with a weak federal government. After it became clear that the confederation could not handle the challenges facing the states, a convention was held in Philadelphia which produced a constitution that created a new nation with a stronger federal government. Episode eight explains that the United States of America was born when Virginia became the ninth state to ratify the constitution. Still, there were four ratification conventions left, and the new nation would be much weaker if all four voted against ratification, so the struggle between federalists and anti-federalists would continue. The federalists were victorious in New Hampshire and more important, New York, but they failed in North Carolina and Rhode Island. Regardless, they had created a new nation.

 

Cast of Characters:

Alexander Hamilton-member of the New York State Legislature, former aide to General George Washington, commander of the Continental Army

James Madison-delegate to the Confederation Congress

John Jay-Secretary of Former Affairs, former diplomat to Spain and former president of the Continental Congress

Edmund Randolph-governor of Virginia

Patrick Henry-former governor of Virginia and delegate to the First Continental Congress

George Mason-member of the Virginia General Assembly, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights

Melancton Smith-lawyer, delegate to the Confederation Congress

 

Sources:

Franklin & Washington: The Founding Partnership-Edward J. Larson

Radical Hamilton: Economic Lessons from a Misunderstood Founder-Christian Parenti

The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789-Joseph J. Ellis

The Framers' Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution-Michael J. Klarman

The Return of George Washington: Uniting the States, 1783-1789-Edward J. Larson

Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787-1788-Pauline Maier

Washington: A Life-Ron Chernow

Alexander Hamilton-Ron Chernow

George Washington: A Life-Willard Sterne Randall

James Madison: A Biography-Ralph Ketcham

The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789-Robert Middlekauff

A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic-John Ferling

Image Credit:

Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy (1940) - The Indian Reporter, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=662340