The Fathers of the Constitution: A Chronicle of the Establishment of the Union
by Max Farrand
- Pages
- about 194
- Category
- History
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 3.5 h at 250 wpm
From the opening
"The United States of America"! It was in the Declaration of
Independence that this name was first and formally proclaimed to the
world, and to maintain its verity the war of the Revolution was fought.
Americans like to think that they were then assuming "among the Powers
of the Earth the equal and independent Station to which the Laws
of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them"; and, in view of their
subsequent marvelous development, they are inclined to add that it must
have been before an expectant world.
In these days of prosperity and national greatness it is hard to realize
that the achievement of independence did not place the United States on
a footing of equality with other countries and that, in fact, the new
state was more or less an unwelcome member of the world family. It is
nevertheless true that the latest comer into the family of nations
did not for a long time command the respect of the world. This lack
of respect was partly due to the character of the American population.
Along with the many estimable and excellent people who had come to
British North America inspired by the best of motives, there had come
others who were not regarded favorably by the governing classes of
Europe. Discontent is frequently a healthful sign and a forerunner of
progress, but it makes one an uncomfortable neighbor in a satisfied and
conservative community; and discontent was the underlying factor in
the migration from the Old World to the New. In any composite immigrant
population such as that of the United States there was bound to be a
large element of undesirables. Among those who came "for conscience's
sake" were the best type of religious protestants, but there were also
religious cranks from many countries, of almost every conceivable sect
and of no sect at all. Many of the newcomers were poor.
A short sample. Read the whole book
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