Home
Đăng nhập
Đăng ký
Loading...
The making of the American Constitution - Judy Walton - Video học tiếng Anh
Luyện nghe
Luyện nghe
/
Video
/
TED-Ed
/
The making of the American Constitution - Judy Walton
The making of the American Constitution - Judy Walton
Chọn chế độ học:
Xem phụ đề
Chọn từ
Viết lại từ
Phụ đề (51)
0:00
Transcriber: tom carter Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar
0:14
It is the spring of 1787.
0:17
The Revolutionary War has been over for only six years,
0:20
and the young United States is still struggling in its infancy.
0:25
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,
0:40
to begin on May 14 in Philadelphia.
0:43
The delegates must draft revisions to the Articles of Confederation,
0:47
which would then be considered by the Congress and approved by the states.
0:52
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,
1:02
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 --
1:23
not states, but individual delegates --
1:26
are present, so they wait.
1:28
Finally, on May 25th, the necessary quorum of seven states is acheived.
1:34
In all, 55 delegates arrive in Philadelphia over the course of the Convention.
1:39
They are all white males, property owners, and the average age is about 44.
1:46
Some are slaveholders, some had signed the Declaration of Independence, [James Madison, Roger Sherman]
1:50
and almost all are well-educated. [Benjamin Franklin]
1:53
Picture the delegates, James Madison and George Washington among them,
1:57
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.
2:07
They vote to keep their discussions secret to encourage honest debate.
2:13
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.
2:27
Shockingly, they all keep their vow of secrecy.
2:30
That could never happen today, not even for an hour-long meeting.
2:35
Someone would share "James Madison thinks he's so smart.
2:40
Keyword: articles are dead" via social media,
2:43
and the whole thing would be a disaster.
2:46
But in 1787, there are no leaks. Not even a drip that hints at what they are doing.
2:52
And what they are doing is nothing short of overthrowing the very government that sent them there.
2:58
Within a few days, with only a seven-state quorum, and only six of those states agreeing,
3:04
a handful of men change the course of history.
3:08
They vote to get rid of the Articles of Confederation,
3:12
and write a new, more nationalistic document that becomes our Constitution.
3:17
The risk is immense.
3:19
Everyone on the outside assumes they were working on recommended revisions to the Articles.
3:23
It's an incredible gamble, and even when the Convention presents the signed Constitution on September 17th,
3:29
not all delegates endorse it.
3:31
The country will argue and debate for two more years
3:33
before the document is adopted by the required nine out of 13 states.
3:37
But instead of punishing them for their deception,
3:40
today we celebrate the wisdom and vision of those men in Philadelphia.
