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The making of the American Constitution - Judy Walton
The making of the American Constitution - Judy Walton
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0:00
Transcriber: tom carter Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar
0:14
It is the spring of 1787.
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The Revolutionary War has been over for only six years,
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and the young United States is still struggling in its infancy.
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Uprisings, boundary disputes and the lack of a common vision all plague the newborn country.
0:31
In an effort to steady this precarious ship,
0:34
the Confederation Congress calls on states to send delegates to the grand Convention,
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to begin on May 14 in Philadelphia.
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The delegates must draft revisions to the Articles of Confederation,
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which would then be considered by the Congress and approved by the states.
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Under the terms of the Articles,
0:53
all 13 states had to agree to any changes.
0:57
Since the purpose of the Convention is just to make recommendations,
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not everyone is excited about attending,
1:04
and frankly, some think it's a waste of time.
1:08
As men from different parts of the country began to travel down dusty, rugged roads on the way to Philadelphia,
1:14
not all states send delegates.
1:16
In fact, Rhode Island never even shows up.
1:20
On May 14th, only 8 delegates --
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not states, but individual delegates --
1:26
are present, so they wait.
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Finally, on May 25th, the necessary quorum of seven states is acheived.
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In all, 55 delegates arrive in Philadelphia over the course of the Convention.
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They are all white males, property owners, and the average age is about 44.
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Some are slaveholders, some had signed the Declaration of Independence, [James Madison, Roger Sherman]
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and almost all are well-educated. [Benjamin Franklin]
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Picture the delegates, James Madison and George Washington among them,
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sitting in Independence Hall in hot, humid Philadelphia.
2:02
They're all wearing the dress of the day: frock coats, high collars and thick pants.
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They vote to keep their discussions secret to encourage honest debate.
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But that means the windows are closed, and there is no air conditioning in 1787, not even an electric fan.
2:20
and they'll sit in that sweltering heat, in those heavy clothes, for three months.
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Shockingly, they all keep their vow of secrecy.
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That could never happen today, not even for an hour-long meeting.
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Someone would share "James Madison thinks he's so smart.
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Keyword: articles are dead" via social media,
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and the whole thing would be a disaster.
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But in 1787, there are no leaks. Not even a drip that hints at what they are doing.
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And what they are doing is nothing short of overthrowing the very government that sent them there.
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Within a few days, with only a seven-state quorum, and only six of those states agreeing,
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a handful of men change the course of history.
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They vote to get rid of the Articles of Confederation,
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and write a new, more nationalistic document that becomes our Constitution.
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The risk is immense.
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Everyone on the outside assumes they were working on recommended revisions to the Articles.
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It's an incredible gamble, and even when the Convention presents the signed Constitution on September 17th,
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not all delegates endorse it.
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The country will argue and debate for two more years
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before the document is adopted by the required nine out of 13 states.
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But instead of punishing them for their deception,
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today we celebrate the wisdom and vision of those men in Philadelphia.
