Simone Lawson
The American Revolutionary War, which began in April 1775, led to the creation of the United States Constitution. The war was a product of the Enlightenment, a 17th-century intellectual movement in Europe that sparked new ideas about human rights, government, and reason. During the war, the Continental Congress issued paper currency to finance the war, but it quickly lost its value. The Second Continental Congress, which became a quasi-government, adopted the Articles of Confederation, creating a loose confederation of states with a weak central government. However, the Articles proved difficult to enforce, and the young country faced challenges due to the lack of an effective central government. Leaders like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared the country was on the brink of collapse and worked towards strengthening the federal government. In 1787, delegates assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles, and in 1788, the new Constitution was ratified, establishing a powerful central government and a federal republic with three separate branches.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of the Revolutionary War's outbreak | 1775 |
| First constitution of the United States | Articles of Confederation |
| Year the Articles of Confederation was ratified | 1781 |
| Year the Revolutionary War ended | 1783 |
| Year the new constitution was ratified | 1788 |
| Year the new federal government began meeting | 1789 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 39 |
| Number of delegates at the Constitutional Convention | 55 |
| Number of states that ratified the Articles of Confederation by 1780 | 12 |
| State that refused to ratify the Articles of Confederation by 1780 | Maryland |
| State that did not send a representative to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 | Rhode Island |
| Number of states needed for ratification of the new government | 9 |
| Number of states that comprised the United States at the time | 13 |
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What You'll Learn
- The Continental Congress issued paper currency to finance the war
- The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government
- The need for a strong national government to prevent local uprisings
- The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was the most democratic
- The Constitution was a fulfillment of the American Revolution
The Continental Congress issued paper currency to finance the war
During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress issued paper currency, known as Continentals, to finance the war effort. In 1775, the Continental Congress issued $2 million in paper bills of credit, representing the colonies' first significant currency distribution. The paper notes bore the images of Revolutionary soldiers.
The Continentals were not backed by any tangible assets, such as gold or silver, but by the Continental Congress's expectation of future tax revenues. This, coupled with the fact that they were in the midst of a war, created uncertainty around the new currency. The unchecked printing of fiat money by the Continental Congress and state governments, driven by the demands of war, led to rampant inflation and the currency quickly lost value.
To further contribute to the devaluation of the Continentals, the British produced large quantities of counterfeit bills to sabotage the American economy. Within five years, Continentals suffered significant depreciation and became practically worthless. By May 1781, Continentals had ceased to circulate as money.
The failure of the Continental currency highlighted the risks of fiat money and prompted the United States to adopt a bimetallic standard of gold and silver under the Coinage Act of 1792. The painful experience of runaway inflation and the collapse of the Continental dollar influenced the delegates of the Constitutional Convention to include the gold and silver clause in the United States Constitution. This clause prohibited individual states from issuing bills of credit or making anything but gold and silver coins a tender in payment of debts.
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The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government
The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states. However, it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce between states, and couldn't print money.
The Articles of Confederation established a loose confederation of states with a weak central government. The central government's power was kept quite limited, and it faced challenges in assembling delegates, raising funds, regulating commerce, and settling disputes between states.
The states retained considerable power, and disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. The central government's inability to regulate commerce and set commercial policy led to economic instability, with paper money flooding the country and causing extraordinary inflation.
The Confederation government also struggled to enforce national policies and prevent states from pursuing independent actions, such as Georgia's policy regarding Spanish Florida, which threatened war with Spain. Additionally, the central government couldn't prevent the landing of convicts exported by the British Government to its former colonies.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became more apparent after Shays's Rebellion, which threatened to topple the state government of Massachusetts. These factors, combined with the government's financial weakness and inability to effectively support a war effort, led to calls for a stronger central government and eventually resulted in the creation of a new constitution.
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The need for a strong national government to prevent local uprisings
The American Revolution brought to light the need for a strong national government to prevent local uprisings. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, and it couldn't regulate commerce or print money. This led to disputes among the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the young nation apart.
The inability of the national government to curb these disputes and prevent states from pursuing independent policies highlighted the need for a stronger central authority. For instance, the state of Georgia pursued an independent policy regarding Spanish Florida, attempting to occupy disputed territories and threatening war. The Confederation government also struggled to address issues like the landing of convicts exported by the British Government and the enforcement of provisions in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.
Additionally, the weak national government was ineffective in responding to local uprisings like Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts. This rebellion, led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays, highlighted the need for a stronger government to maintain order and stability.
The shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation prompted leaders like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington to push for a stronger central government. They feared their country was on the brink of collapse and recognized the need for a government that could effectively address internal conflicts and prevent local uprisings.
As a result, a Constitutional Convention was assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates crafted a new constitution, creating a powerful central government while also incorporating checks and balances to protect the rights of minorities and prevent the concentration of power. This new government, ratified by 9 of the 13 states, marked a significant shift towards a stronger national authority capable of addressing local unrest and upholding the nation's unity.
The creation and adoption of the U.S. Constitution fulfilled the ideals of the American Revolution, establishing a government that could respond effectively to local uprisings while preserving stability and protecting the rights of its citizens.
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The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was the most democratic
The American Revolution, which gained momentum in June 1775, saw the creation of a new constitution as a response to the existing government. The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was considered the most democratic in America at the time. It was the heart of a popular revolt against the existing government, which had been brewing for months. The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was a radical change from the previous form of governance, which had been in place since the era of William Penn. The previous government restricted voting rights to men of property, ensuring the domination of a largely Quaker ruling class. However, as immigration reduced the relative number of Quakers, their alliance with other groups continued to return governments whose policies frustrated a growing number of people.
The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was designed to prevent the creation of an aristocracy and increase the democratic nature of the state's governing charter. It achieved this by placing power in the hands of a single assembly, without a governor to veto laws or an upper house to check popular enthusiasms. This approach, however, also set the stage for a less effective government. The constitution also included written test oaths, ensuring that opponents could not participate in the government and thus creating the conditions for one-party rule.
The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was completed on September 28, 1776, and was signed by the president and members before being transmitted to the Committee of Safety. This committee was directed to deliver it to the general assembly of the state at their first meeting. The first meeting of the Pennsylvania General Assembly took place on November 28, 1776, with Thomas Wharton Jr. becoming the first Governor of the Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 made several innovations that expanded democracy, the most noticeable being that all men who had paid taxes were permitted to vote.
The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 had a lasting impact, influencing many constitutions around the world, particularly Vermont's 1777 constitution. It served as a template for the creation of the Vermont Republic, which was formally admitted into the Union in 1791. The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 also contributed to the democratic expansion that occurred in the context of the revolutionary constitution. However, it also faced opposition and was controversial from the beginning. This led to the adoption of a new constitution in 1790, which more evenly considered the complexities of government and the rights of citizens.
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The Constitution was a fulfillment of the American Revolution
The American Revolution and the subsequent War of Independence were influenced by the Enlightenment, a 17th-century European intellectual movement that sparked new ideas about government, human rights, and reason. The American Revolution was also influenced by the desire for a centralized government that could coordinate the Revolutionary War.
The Continental Congress, which served as a quasi-government during the war, issued paper currency called "Continentals" to finance the war. These notes were not backed by gold or silver, and quickly lost their value. After the war, Congress and the state governments continued to produce money, contributing to the "mortal diseases" of the government under the Articles of Confederation.
The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
Nationalists, led by James Madison, worked towards strengthening the federal government and revising the Articles of Confederation. Madison proposed a new kind of republican government, responsive to popular will but with checks to preserve stability and protect property and the rights of minorities.
The Constitution of the United States, ratified in 1788, established a new, more effective federal government, with three separate branches: executive, legislative, and judiciary. The Constitution divided power between the state and federal governments, and set out the terms for its own ratification, bypassing state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state.
The creation and adoption of the U.S. Constitution was thus a fulfillment of the American Revolution, establishing a powerful central government and enshrining the principles of freedom and democracy.
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Frequently asked questions
The Revolutionary War broke out against British rule in April 1775. During the war, the 2nd Continental Congress became a quasi-government and adopted the Articles of Confederation, creating a loose confederation of states with a weak central government.
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. This led to disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became apparent after the Revolutionary War ended in 1783. Divisions among the states and local rebellions, such as Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts, threatened to tear the young country apart. Nationalists, led by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, began working towards a stronger central government.
In 1787, delegates from twelve states assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. James Madison proposed a new federal government with proportional representation and a national legislative veto over state laws. The Constitutional Convention created a powerful central government with three separate branches: executive, legislative, and judiciary.
The new Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, with a total of 39 signatures. It was ratified in 1788, and the new federal government began meeting in 1789, marking the end of the Confederation period.
