University:
Arizona State University
Course:
HST 200 | Historical Themes
Academic year:

2024
Views:

203

Pages:

1
Author:

Thuyoul US

Creating Republican Governments, 1776-1790 PRESENT AT THE CONSTITUTION Prior attempts had been made to address the dangerous situation facing the Confederation. James Madison of Virginia pushed for a conference of states in early 1786 to discuss the numerous economic issues besetting the nascent republic. In response to Madison's plea, the Virginia senate sent an invitation to all thirteen states to convene in Annapolis, Maryland, to discuss ways to resolve the dispute over interstate trade. The invitation was answered by eight states. Only five states sent representatives to the next 1786 Annapolis Convention, hence no remedies were offered. Nonetheless, these delegates accepted Alexander Hamilton's proposal for a second convention to be held in Philadelphia in May 1787. The scheduled convention gained more importance as a result of Shays' Rebellion. Following the rebellion in western Massachusetts in February 1787, the Confederation Congress approved the Philadelphia conference. This time, representatives from every state, with the exception of Rhode Island, traveled to Philadelphia to address current issues. The Philadelphia Convention of 1787 was organized with the express intent of amending the Articles of Confederation. But the participants resolved very swiftly to draft a new constitution for a federal government. The Philadelphia meeting was dubbed the Constitutional meeting of 1787, and that framework was eventually adopted as the United States Constitution. Fifty-five men convened in secret in Philadelphia; historians are only aware of the events because James Madison meticulously documented everything that happened. The delegates from Rhode Island declined to send representatives, and the delegates from New Hampshire came belatedly; they were aware that their actions would spark controversy. Robert Yates and John Lansing, two New York delegates, departed the conference when they saw the Articles of Confederation were being disregarded and a new national government was being written. They thought the delegates lacked the power to establish a powerful national government.