The Formation of the United States: Part II-A Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government

The Confederation Period lasted from 1783 to 1789. Following the end of the American Revolution in 1783, the newly independent states retained their sovereignty but were part of a confederation of states with a weak federal government. After it became clear that the confederation could not handle the challenges facing the states, a convention was held in Philadelphia which produced a constitution that created a new nation with a stronger federal government. Episode Two explains that Secretary of Foreign Affairs John Jay's failure to conclude a treaty with Spain had confirmed to many American political leaders that the Articles of Confederation were fatally flawed, and a more powerful federal government was required. Hoping to build a closer union, James Madison used a failed convention at Annapolis, Maryland as an opportunity to call for a larger convention to be held in Philadelphia next year.

 

Cast of Characters:

George Washington- former Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, former delegate from Virginia to the Continental Congress

Benjamin Franklin-President of Pennsylvania, former minister to France, former Postmaster General, signer of the Declaration of Independence

John Jay-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, former President of the Continental Congress and former Minister to Spain

James Madison-delegate from Virginia to the Confederation Congress

Alexander Hamilton-member of the New York State Legislature, former aide to General George Washington, commander of the Continental Army

Charles Pinckney-delegate from South Carolina to the Confederation Congress

Henry Knox-Secretary of War, former major-general in the Continental Army

 

Sources:

Franklin & Washington: The Founding Partnership-Edward J. Larson

Founding Finance: How Debt, Speculation, Foreclosures, Protests, and Crackdowns Made Us a Nation-William Hogeland

The Age of Federalism: The Early American Republic, 1788-1800-Stanley Elkins & Eric McKitrick

The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789-Joseph J. Ellis

American Creation-Joseph J. Ellis

The Framers' Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution-Michael J. Klarman

Unruly Americans and the Origins of the Constitution-Woody Holton

The Return of George Washington: Uniting the States, 1783-1789-Edward J. Larson

Washington: A Life-Ron Chernow

His Excellency: George Washington-Joseph J. Ellis

George Washington: A Life-Willard Sterne Randall

Radical Hamilton: Economic Lessons from a Misunderstood Founder-Christian Parenti

Alexander Hamilton-Ron Chernow

Alexander Hamilton: A Life-Willard Sterne Randall

James Madison: A Biography-Ralph Ketcham

Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution-Charles Rappleye

The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789-Robert Middlekauff

The Forging of the Union 1781-1789-Richard B. Morris

 

Image Credit:

Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy (1940) - The Indian Reporter, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=662340