When the American Project began in a small building in Philadelphia in 1776, the European powers looked upon the new nation with a sense of unease. Many monarchs watched the events unfolding in America with a certain level of trepidation, fearing liberal agitation in their lands based upon the ideals of the American revolutionaries. When the British were brought to heel by the tenacity of the Americans, and the deep but not endless coffers of the French, the ancient regimes in Europe looked on with a certain level of unease. However as the new republic struggled amid economic misfortune and ineffective governance, the wise men in Europe's courts foresaw it as the beginning of the end of a foolhardy regime, doomed to fail from the very beginning. What followed however, only marked the first chapter of a long and tumultuous history of the many United States of America.
To the Federalists, the events of the past several years was evidence of the inherent weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Led by Alexander Hamilton, they led the call for a new governing document, a new Constitution. However Hamilton with his lack of tact, alienated the Anti-Federalists even before the Constitutional Convention began. As the delegated assembled in Philadelphia, both sides quickly became unable to agree on a path forward. The Federalists were simply unable to convince their opponents to abandon the Articles of Confederation, who was skeptical of Hamilton's machinations. George Washington as President of the Convention, did his best to calm the flames of passion, but the stress and overwhelming July heat took his toll on him. In late July after trying to settle a spirited debate of the day, Washington suffered a major heatstroke. While he did not die, he had to withdraw to recover. Without his presence and his wisdom, the Convention was dealt a mortal blow. The Anti-Federalists walked out soon after and spread the word of the Federalists' plans that would allegedly lead the way to a new tyrannical order. Nevertheless, the Federalists pushed on and without major opposition the Convention approved a new constitution. The publication of the new document would elicit both approval and outrage across the country. As state legislatures across the country took up the document for debate, the chain of events that would infamously be called the Great Disunion were set in motion.
As states ratified the new Constitution and others refused to, the country began to effectively split into two; one administered by the new Constitution and the other by the Articles of Confederation. Protests for or against ratification often devolved into riots and violence across the 13 states, all the while as state governments squabbled in their legislative chambers. Finally in 23 May 1789, South Carolina became the last state to ratify the Constitution, leaving five states under the old Articles. The division of the country left its citizens at each other's throats, but what prevented an earlier Civil War was the death of Geroge Washington in June of 1790 at his estate in Mount Vernon. Mr. Washington never fully recovered from his heatstroke in 1789, which left him greatly weakened and in poor health. Those who came to implore his help were shocked at his gaunt frame, once healthy. Kept out of the public eye, as it was believed that knowledge of his poor health would worsen the current situation. It is said that Washington’s frail health grew worse and worse as the country divided. Ironically, his death shocked the American people into uniting in a common grief, at least for a little while. His last words were printed into every newspaper in the country and announced in all public squares. With tears in his eyes, he told to his faithful wife, Martha Washington, “It is over, our struggles have come to nothing” and he was gone. It seemed that way at the time but he was wrong, of course. However the road to the United States of today would be long and bloody, full of false starts and promises, but in the end their struggles would be validated. This is the story of the long hard road to the
United States of America.
