7.1 Petition of Inhabitants West of the Ohio River (1785)

The Greatest Enemies of Liberty

• The authors consider landlords and land speculators who monopolized available acreage in the West

Context Motivating the Authors

• During the confederation, Ohioan farmers petitioned congress, after suffering severely during the War of Independence

• Assailing landlords and speculators who monopolized available acreage in their land and asked for the people who took their land to be taken back and given to them

How They Claim the Legacy of the American Revolution

• They state that a foreign foe invaded their common country

• The men of color risked their lives in defense and their fathers fought alongside the white fathers to make the country an independent republic

7.2 David Ramsey, American Innovations in Government (1789)

Ramsey on The Power to Amend the Constitution

• No other countries nor eras have allowed the people to influence the government and its workings

Ramsey vs. Winthrop in Principles of Representation

• David Ramsey

  • Believes that the whole country should be governed by the same laws

• Winthrop

  • The states have the right to be self-governed

  • He thought it would be impossible for all the states to agree and be ruled by the same laws

Formation of the American Government

• The formation of the American Government differed from others in the ff. ways

  • They possessed the ability to elect a government

    • Ancient governments were an accident

    • European governments were obtained through concessions or liberality of monarchs or military leaders

  • Had an existing system for public meetings through the assembly of legislature

    • It ensured the creation of laws

    • Acknowledged the interests of the governed

7.3 Patrick Henry’s Anti-Federalist Argument (1788)

Henry’s Most Important Opposition against the New Constitution

• Henry wondered why the Constitution did not include the Bill of Rights

  • Henry believed that the absence of a bill of rights was part of the attempt of the few to amass power

The Danger of Consolidated Government to Liberty

• Henry believed that consolidated government could not handle such large territories, especially in terms of taxation

• A consolidated government would also mean that there would be a lack of representation for each state

  • Each state has its own problems, climate, and culture

• There will also be clashing interests between the local and consolidated governments which can lead to the destruction of one or the other

• It cannot preserve the freedom of its governed

7.4 A July Fourth Oration (1800)

Arguments against the Evils of Slavery

• The basis of the Declaration of Independence is “all men are created equal“

  • The Equality of Man is the bond of our union and the constituted law of the land

• Principles of freedom include the totality of people

  • Those principles of freedom, which embrace only half mankind, are only half systems, and will no more support the burden of humanity, than [a] section of an arch will support a column.

  • Our daughters are the same relations to us as our sons, we owe them the same duties, they . . . are equally competent to their attainments.

  • The contrary idea originated in the same abuse of power, as monarchy and slavery, and owes its little remaining support to the same sophistry.

Major Reasons to Celebrate American Independence

• To protect our liberty

  • Liberty is a tender plant, which wants the constant vigilance of its owner he must weed and water, and defends it himself; hirelings may destroy it by carelessness, by accident, or by design, and once it withers, it is difficult to be restored.

• It is a long-time revolution that began in several nations before America

• American Independence upholds the “universal principles“

7.5 Thomas Jefferson on Race and Slavery (1781)

Colonizing Blacks Outside the US in the Event of Emancipation

• Jefferson wants to colonize blacks outside of the US to make them an alliance and protectors of the country

• Despite slaves gaining their freedom, Jefferson feels that American Independence merits their service to the state

Effect of Slavery on White Virginia

• It is an “unhappy influence on the manners of our people“

  • Children watch how their parents treat slaves and mirror the same actions later

  • The generational prejudice creates an isolating environment for black people

• Industry-wise, no man in a humid climate would not work for himself if he can get another to do it

• White Virginians feel the need to mistreat the blacks because of generational prejudice and exploitation of the blacks’ hard work

7.6 J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, “What Then, Is the American“ (1782)

American Life vs. European Society

• Crevecoeur emphasized that European and American societies were different

  • In Europe, lords had everything while the majority of people were left with little or nothing

  • America had practically no aristocracy, there were no monarchies

  • “The rich and poor were not as far removed from each other“

Unmentioned Aspects of American Society

• Crevecoeur’s description of an American essentially concentrated on the Europeans who lived in America, a land of freedom and opportunity, leaving out the marginalized Native Americas and people of African descent

  • He did not incorporate slaves in his description of an American

  • He forgot that Native Americans and African slaves laid the foundation of America with their blood and sweat