prologue
The Philadelphia convention
“My political curiosity, exclusive of my anxious solicitude for the public welfare, leads me to ask who authorized them to speak the language of ‘We, the People,’ instead of ‘We, the States’?”
-Patrick Henry
PROLOGUE
On May 25th 1787 the great men from the various states of the United States met in the Philadelphia state house. They were there to discuses the writing of a new constitution for the whole nation. The 2 main plans that were proposed were the Virginia and New Jersey plans. The Virginia plan, created by James Madison, advocated for a strong national government were as the New Jersey plan was something more like the old articles of confederation. After a couple months a new plan, the Connecticut plan, was brought to the convention. This plan, despite being a blend of the previous two, was highly controversial among some for the amount of power vested in the president and the national government. The debate over this plan caused Gorge Washington to wait to back the plan until late September. So on the 17th of November the convention ended and the Constitution sent to the states. The first states to ratify the new construction were Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey all in December. Next in line was Georgia and Connecticut, both of which ratified in January. However even with the string of ratifications the anti-federalists were still as strong as ever. When it came time for the Massachusetts ratification convention 2 prominent anti federalists , John Handcock and Samuel Adams, proposed a compromise to the federalists. This compromise called for a set of amendments to be made that laid out the rights of the people and the states in exchange for Massachusetts ratifying. All though the federalist had no problems with the individual rights part, they absolutely hated the state right parts and they refused the offer thinking they would still be able to carry the state. This mind set was destroyed when on February 6th 1788 Massachusetts would refuse the Constitution. While Maryland, and South Carolina would still ratify others states like Virginia, North Carolina, and New York would not. Rhode Island even refused to consider the new Constitution. So when the ratification convention in New Hampshire was gathered all eyes were on it. And when the result was given it changed the history of the young nation. They refused.
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So for any one reading this is my first timeline so please give some criticism and tell me what you think.
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