Caesar Rodney: The First State

It was on December 7, 1787 Delaware became the first state to confirm the United States constitution. Delaware proclaimed its independence from Great Britain on June 15, 1776. It also became independent of Pennsylvania. (dehistory.com) It is known as the "First State" because on December 7, 1787, it became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. In 1610 explorer Samuel Argall named the Delaware River and Bay for the governor of Virginia, Thomas West and Lord De La Warr. The state of Delaware takes its name from the river and bay.

Samuel Bryan was born in Pennsylvania in 1759. Pennsylvania at the time was very ethnically and religiously diverse; at one point one third of the population was German. Even before the Constitutional Convention, Pennsylvania was very important. For example, during the pre-Revolutionary War and Revolutionary War years, Pennsylvania held both Continental Congresses. Even then, the state excelled economically, especially in the iron and grain milling productions, which are the predecessors of manufacturing and industrialization. By 1787, Pennsylvania had invented the steamboat. However, also during 1787, the Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia. The convention was most likely chosen to be in Pennsylvania because of its history of holding important gatherings, it contained a large amount of people, it was large geographically, it was wealthy, and it was predominantly Federalist-influenced.

The Declaration of Independence was a letter written to King George III, stating that the 13 colonies were declaring that they were leaving the rule of Great Britain, and that they were becoming a free nation. It was important for the Declaration of Independence to be written first because it represented the creation of our free nation. It made it possible for Americans to have the rights that we have today.

Constitution. When the Constitution was written in 1787, it left out individual rights for citizens which led to the refusal of many states to ratify it. The Constitution of the U.S. was made to embody the fundamental principles of a government but the lack of a Bill of Rights was the main reason why many opposed the ratification of it. As stated in the Article VII, “the vote of nine states shall be sufficient for the establishment of the Constitution as the principal document uniting the states,” but in 1788 only four had states ratified it. At the time of the ratification, there was a debate between those who supported it, the Federalists, and those who opposed it, the Anti-Federalists. The Federalists argued that individuals’ rights were already protected by state constitutions, and that not listing these rights did not mean that they were inexistent as natural rights, which explains why First Amendment rights were initially not included in the Constitution. On the other hand, The Anti-Federalists strongly disagreed and feared that the increased strength of a national government would lead to an abuse of individual rights. These disputes finally initiated the draft of a new charter for the Constitution of the United States that included The First Amendment as the first section under the Bill of Rights. The leading man for this draft was James Madison, of Virginia, who is often considered “the father of the Constitution” because of his

The Constitution was originally called the Virgina Plan and was wrote by James Madison. It then went to the Constitutional convention and was modified by fifty-five delegates ordered by George Washington. The Constitution was first signed by William Jackson, and there was thirty-nine more people who followed in Jackson's steps. There were twelve states that sent people to the convention. Rhode Island did not send anyone to the convention.

Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette and Hercules Mulligan are both considered being significant figures in American history. Being close friends to each other, they cooperated, encouraged and supported each other throughout political life. All of them have made considerable contribution in different aspects to the development of the nation. During the time of American Revolution, Hamilton and his friends were ambitious to establish a new free nation and appeal more people to revolution. Furthermore, these young people were eager to won the glory on the battlefield and became impressive to the world.

The constitution of the United States was designed and drafted by the American constitutional framers who are recognized as the founding fathers. Rufus King was one of the prominent delegates who contributed in signing the constitution and he is also considered among the pioneers who founded the United States. The essay below tries to explain and elaborate the historical life of Rufus King and his major contributions to the United States.

At the Annapolis Convention, Hamilton and Madison, along with others, realized that changes needed to be made to the Articles of Confederation and made plans to meet later in Philadelphia with representatives from each state. It was there that the Constitution was written after many long months of consideration and compromising. On December 7, 1787 Delaware unanimously voted to ratify, with most states following shortly after. It was ratified early in 1788. Although

While both Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution contain important information regarding America 's independence they are also different in many respects. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of is Independence one of the nation 's most cherished symbols of liberty and Thomas Jefferson 's most enduring monument. "Each colony sent delegates to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1774 to form the First

Every state but Rhode Island elected a ratifying convention in 1787-1788, and only North Carolina's adjourned (August 2, 1788, by a vote of 185-84) without voting on the Constitution. (Rhode Island submitted the Constitution to its town meetings; on March 24, 1788, in a vote boycotted by most Federalists, the voters rejected it, 2,708-237.) The first five ratifications took

There were a plethora of decisions during the Continental Convention of 1787 which helped construct the United States of America that we have today. The participant who had the greatest impact on the convention other than James Madison, is a delegate called Roger Sherman. He was a very influential person who had many accomplishments, among these were: being a well-respected politician, a lawyer who earned his degree from Yale University, a Connecticut senator, a Newton County surveyor, an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, and a member of the Continental Congress. All of these things, would help shape the man who would forever change the United States of America.

He held beliefs that a mixed government would help protect against factions that might arise and corrupt the government by furthering their own interests rather than those of the people. Wythe was very involved in supporting the Revolutionary War and even volunteered to fight for American independence. However, he was elected instead to the Continental Congress and acted as a speaker for the Virginia delegates. Wythe was so successful and respected by his peers, that since he was absent the day the Declaration was signed, they left a space for his signature above all the other Virginia signers, including the main author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. He had a full career in government, with many different offices held including in 1755 a delegate then a clerk in the House of Burgesses for nearly 20 years, mayor of Williamsburg, Virginia, VA delegate at the Second Continental Congress, Speaker for the Virginia House of Delegates, as well as in 1778 Virginia Court of Chancery judge. He helped draft Virginia’s state constitution as well as helped design the seal of Virginia. In 1788, at the Virginia State Convention, Wythe advocated for the ratification of the Federal Constitution. Wythe’s standing in the legal and political community, and especially his connections to five of the voters helped win out against Patrick Henry and the Anti-Federalists. Wythe also helped draft the Bill of Rights which contained the first ten amendments to the Constitution that protected the rights of citizens from the government, drawing inspiration from George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of

Soon after the settlement of Pennsylvania by William Penn, William Rodney, one of the descendants of this illustrious family removed to that province and after a short residence in Philadelphia, settled in Kent, a county upon the Delaware. This gentleman died in the year 1708, leaving a considerable fortune, and eight children, the eldest of whom is the subject of the following sketch. Mr. Rodney inherited from his father a large landed estate, which was entailed upon him, according to the usages of distinguished families at that day. At the early age of twenty-eight years, such was his popularity, he was appointed high sheriff in the county in which he resided, and on the expiration of his term of service, he was created a justice of the peace, and a judge of the lower courts. In 1762, and perhaps at a still earlier date, he represented the county of Kent in the provincial legislature. In this station he entered with great zeal and activity into the prominent measures of the day. In the year 1765, the first general congress was assembled, as is well known, at New-York, to consult

Before Edmund Randolph became the Benedict Arnold of his time, he had a major role in the identity of the American government.

The Constitution which was set before the people of the States in the year of 1787. This required nine States to ratify it for it to go into effect. With New Hampshire being the ninth state to ratify the constitution on June 21st 1788, the nine States to ratify the Constitution seceded from a perpetual union that they had created more than 10 years before. This left the remaining four States to either join them under the new Constitution, create a new union, or stay under the Articles of Confederation. As we all know the remaining four States ratified the Constitution shortly there after. Virginia, New York, and Rhode Island declared in their ordinances of ratification that, being sovereign states, they individually reserved the right to secede, and they asserted this right for the other states. This did not have to be asserted, since everyone knew that secession was an action available to an American state. The States Seceded from the Articles of Confederation to form a more “perfect union.” This was pure and simply a secession from a perpetual union that came without violence. This secession was done without a legal means from which to withdrawal from the Articles of Confederation. Without a legal means aside from unanimous consent to withdrawal or alter the Articles, the founders showed that secession was a tool to be used to disband the bonds of