Republicanism and constitution-making in the young American Nation

Résumé du document

When the first colonists settled on the Atlantic coast of America and built the towns of Plymouth and Jamestown at the beginning of 17th century, they were looking for a better life than their homelands could provide them with. However, a century later, the descendants of the first settlers can no longer find anything in common with this distant country. Apart from the common use of English and of British currency, the colonists have, no idea of what life could be across the Atlantic. Many events, analzyed in our study, will lead to a feeling of unfairness among the colonists who regard Britain as the cause of all troubles. Our study will lead us to consider the interdependence of republicanism and the birth of institutions in America. We will witness the emergence of a new way of thinking before the Declaration of Independence.

Extraits

[...] At that time, the coalition between the different states took more and more importance. Still, the colonists had a very narrow and local vision of rebellion: they wish to free themselves from the yoke of Britain but had no continental vision of the matter. On September 5th the First Continental Congress took place. In the word “continental”, we must not already consider the idea of union but more of geographical context: the colonies were far from Britain and this aspect of the problem was what united them. [...]

[...] SHALHOPE Robert E., “Republicanism and Early American Historiography”, William and Mary Quarterly (1982). SHALHOPE Robert E., The Roots of Democracy: American Thought and Culture (Boston, 1990). WOOD Gordon S., The Creation of the American Republic (New York, 1969). The Federalist Papers, Madison, p (pagination of word- processing). The Federalist Papers, Hamilton, p (pagination of word- processing). [...]

[...] And to show this sovereignty, Massachusetts only adopted its constitution when it had been ratified by the people. As a matter of fact, when Massachusetts wrote its constitution, the Articles of Confederation had already been drafted, written and ratified, on July 9th They began to be applied a few months before the end of the war, when Britain capitulated in Yorktown in 1781. As the term indicates, the Articles of Confederation gave a continental dimension to the states: they were part of a confederation and they all were to have the same rules even though they kept their sovereignty. [...]

[...] The philosophies of Enlightenment were making their way through the mind of Americans who wished to get totally rid off their previous monarchical system. Then we can say that the American Revolution was not only a fight for independence but also a revolution in the people's mind. In January 1776, Thomas Paine writes Common Sense. This pamphlet, anonymously published, condemns monarchical government and more precisely George III as a monarch. He compares the colonists with travellers who would have landed on a deserted island and would need protection. [...]

[...] From that moment, a new fact linked the colonies: they had a common past and common fight, and they also turned out to be independent nations. At the moment when the Declaration of Independence was written, no clear definition had been given about what the government should be. Moreover, no one could explain with precision what a republican government was. However, the idea that it rested on the people's decision pleased the Americans as it was in total opposition with the monarchical system of Britain. [...]