convention instructed its delegates in Congress to vote for separation from England. On June 12, 1776, two important committees were appointed, one to prepare a declaration of independence, and the other to draft a plan of confederation and union. The committee selected to draw up the Declaration of Independence was composed of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. It reported to Congress June 28, and Jefferson had the honor of having his draft approved with a few changes. The debate on the question of independence started on July 1. Considerable opposition was developed, since some men were not quite ready for so bold and heroic a step. John Dickinson, for example, great patriot though he was, was not in favor of independence yet. Nevertheless, after a few changes, the measure was passed July 4, and a few copies were signed by the president and the secretary of the Congress. On August 2, 1776, all other members present attached their names. The Declaration of Independence was a somewhat radical statement of political philosophy, combining a censure of the English king and the English people, an appeal for justice, and a declaration of freedom. Its terms were, necessarily, very strongly stated in order to arouse interest and support. It was the climax of a long train of events leading to the legal formation of the American Union, and, as such, it will always merit careful respect and study. Its adoption gave the Revolution a definite and clearly defined aim. Briefly summed up, the Declaration of Independence may be said to have done the following: It changed the colonies into American commonwealths by severing the bonds that bound them to England; It made out of these states a Union, known as the United States of America; It unified the desires and efforts of the colonies and brought about a concerted effort for independence; It caused the states to reorganize their governments and adjust their laws in order to make them harmonize with the governmental authority expressed in the Declaration of Independence; And finally it led to a complete overthrow of the rule of England and brought about the establishment of our great republic. LIBRARY REFERENCES American History Leaflets: Nos. 7 and 14. Beer British Colonial Policy, ch. VIII. Channing Students' History of the United States, 131-166. Fiske: Civil Government, 201–205. Hart Formation of the Union, 37-80. Hinsdale American Government (4th ed.), ch. XII. James and Sanford: Government in State and Nation, rev. ed., ch. XII. III. Johnston and Woodburn: American Political History, I, chs. II, Lodge: English Colonies in America, 476–490. Lodge Washington, I, 128-157. Morse: Benjamin Franklin, 100-203. Old South Leaflets Nos. 41, 68. Source Material and Supplementary Aids. Articles of the New England Confederation. Penn's Plan of Union. The Declaration of Rights, 1765. The Declaration of Independence. SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS 1. How could colonial government be a school? 2. What was the nature of the Fundamental Orders of Connecti cut? Arrange 3. What was the purpose of the New England Union? ment for carrying on the government? Powers of the league? Reasons for failure? 4. Outline Penn's plan of Union. What was his scheme of raising taxes? 5. What was the English Board of Trade? The Board of Trade distrusted the governors. Why? 6. Under the Albany plan of union how were members to be apportioned among the different colonies? What were the powers Franklin assigned the central government in this plan? 7. What was the real purpose of the Stamp Act? Why the strong protest against it from the colonists? What are the arguments for taxation by colonial assembly? 8. Origin of and work done by the Committees of Correspondence? 9. How were delegates to the first and second Continental Congresses chosen? How paid? 10. The Continental Congress was executive, legislature, and judiciary until 1781. Explain. How was diplomacy carried on by it? 11. Indicate, historically, the trend toward the Declaration of Independence. How was it framed? In studying the document itself note the parts it falls into and at whom the different charges were directed. Were all the charges literally true? How was it a step toward union? QUESTION FOR DEBATE Resolved, That the defeat of the French by Great Britain in 1763 was the chief cause of the American Revolution. CHAPTER III THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ORGANIZED A New Scheme of Government Wanted. It has been seen that America declared herself free through her Declaration of Independence. In reality, the Declaration merely expressed and asserted what already existed by war, and through the efforts of the Continental Congress. The Declaration in no way changed the status of the congress in session. It was merely an affirmation on its part of what the growing sentiment for national unity had forced upon it. It is worthy of our attention that these leaders did not provide for defeat, but at once planned for an effective scheme of government. In this plan of government the Congress would be an important factor, subject, however, to the American people's will. As previously stated, on June 12, 1776 when the committee was chosen to prepare the Declaration of Independence, there was also another committee appointed, composed of one member of Congress from each colony, to prepare a new plan of government in the nature of a confederation. Any plan would be experimental, and something constructive had to be done at once. Colonies Now New States. Turning from the work of the federal or national Congress, it will be noted that one of the great results of the Declaration of Independence was that a new nation was announced, and the former colonies were declared to be states. It will be necessary to see what changes, if any, had taken place in the process of passing from a colony to a state, for the confederation which was agreed upon would depend on the state for its life and power. In 1775 Congress was called upon to advise Massachusetts and New Hampshire what to do for proper government, since their royal governors had left. The Congress then recommended a temporary arrangement. On May 15, 1776, Congress recommended to all the colonies" to adopt such government as shall in the opinion of the representatives conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and of America in general." New Hampshire was the first new state to form a constitution; Virginia also early framed one having a Bill of Rights, a Declaration of Independence, and a Plan of Government. By 1777 ten states had formed constitutions. It is interesting to note that, except in the case of Massachusetts in 1780, these state constitutions were not submitted to the people for ratification. Connecticut and Rhode Island continued their charters with very slight changes. These constitutions provided for a plan of government from the governor down; courts were reorganized on the old basis, and the judges were still appointive. These state governments gradually won the confidence of the people and soon wielded more influence than Congress itself. This was due to the fact that they were more nearly under the direct control of the people. The state legislatures appointed the delegates to the Congress. What was the position of these new states relative to the Union? Were they older than the Union? Did they derive their power from it, and was it the Union that created them? These questions will be considered later. Whatever may be the answer to these questions, the newly formed Union clearly |