The American revolutionary war officially came to an end in 1783 after Paris Treaty, and there was a growing discontentment and frustration with the articles of confederation. There was a growing desire for reforms to replace the confederation, which was expressed by General George Washington in writing after the end of the revolutionary war. Even after the war, there was an observation of growing disillusionment, characterized by an intense political environment in the 1780’s. During the period under the rule of the articles of confederation, the founders of the nation were undermined in their creation (Behn, 2014). The period was characterized by elite pessimism and politicians urged for expedient revision of the articles of confederation.
In the mid 1780s, the founders of the nation were concerned and increasingly upset with the inability of the government to handle different issues facing the government. This was based on lack of states unanimity and concerns that the people were wasting their resources in an effort to develop a ‘crippled nation’. The growing concerns led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which was a tacit admission of the weaknesses in the American government. For example, in the mid 1780’s historian's analysis of the situation expressed that the congress was virtually inconsistent and had ceased to govern. For example, there was a shortage of revenue that hindered and weakened the operations of the country abroad since it did not have the authority to regulate trade (The Federalist, 2007). Therefore, each state was left to pass and operates its own system of tariffs and restrictions, which invited mercantile aggression from centrally and powerful states from Europe.
Therefore, the Constitutional Convention as an admission of the weaknesses of the American government sought to deal with the weaknesses through preservation of the liberties Americans fought for during the revolution. The convention was guided by four objectives, which include the inherent need to ensure the protection of lives, liberty and property of the citizens (Kennedy & Bailey, 2009). The founders were well versed that the country only would grow when there were strong economic and political foundations. This was amid a wretched economy struggling with huge debts incurred during the revolution.
James Madison was among the key players, and a driving force towards convening, amending and approving of the Constitutional Convention. However, there were other major players in the making of the American constitution. The American Constitution was signed and accepted by 39 Constitutional Convention delegates on September 17, 1787. The work of the Constitutional Convention had to be approved by the congress and transmittal instructions sent to the states. Therefore, the existence of a federal government depended wholly on the ratification. The procedure of ratification was equally important as the document itself. There was increased hypocrisy, drama, puzzles and intrigues in different stages of the process (The Federalist, 2007). After a long and exhausting process characterized by numerous challenges the ratifying convention was led by Hamilton and Jay on July 26, 1787, in New York.
The American Declaration of Independence was a representation of the American vision of virtue. The constitution was a representation of American’s vision and the greatest effort towards national deliberation the world had ever seen. The constitution was designed to meet some immediate needs, as well the changing needs of a century (Behn, 2014). However, the constitution was not automatically approved and accepted, there numerous amendments that contributed to its approval and acceptance.
References
Behn, R. J. (2014). THE MAKING OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://lehrmaninstitute.org/history/constitution.asp
Kennedy, D., & Bailey, T. (2009). The American Spirit: U.S. History as Seen by Contemporaries, Volume 2. New York: Cengage Learning.
The Federalist. (2007). The Federalist Paper No. 10. Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://psi.mcgraw-hill.com/current/psi.php?editionId=49&view=SOURCE&number=656
