In the late 18th century, the American colonies faced deep political and economic instability under the weak Articles of Confederation, which centered power in the states and failed to protect citizens or maintain national unity. Shays’ Rebellion and financial crises revealed the system’s inability to safeguard property or respond to national emergencies. In response, delegates convened at the Constitutional Convention to create a stronger federal government. The resulting Constitution established a representative republic with three co-equal branches to prevent tyranny and ensure balanced power. Congress would legislate, levy taxes, and manage defense; the president would execute laws and command the military; and the judiciary would resolve disputes and uphold rights. The Constitution also guaranteed state rights, national sovereignty, and supremacy of federal law. Benjamin Franklin, a long-time observer of American governance, supported the new document despite his initial skepticism, praising its balance and foresight. He urged delegates to recognize their own fallibility and commit fully to the new system. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed, marking the foundation of a stable, unified, and enduring American government.
September 17th, 2026.
In 1761, 55-year-old Benjamin Franklin attended the coronation of King George III and later
wrote that he expected the young monarch's reign would be happy and truly glorious.
Fifteen years later, in 1776, he helped to draft and then signed the Declaration of Independence.
An 81-year-old man in 1787, he urged his colleagues at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia
to rally behind the new plan of government they had written.
I confess that there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve,
but I am not sure I shall never.
approve them, he said, for having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged
by better information or fuller consideration to change opinions, even on important subjects,
which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise.
The framers of the new Constitution hoped it would fix the problems of the first attempt
to create a new nation.
During the Revolutionary War, the Second Continental Constitution,
Congress had hammered out a plan for a confederation of states,
but with fears of government tyranny still uppermost in lawmakers' minds,
they centered power in the states rather than in a national government.
The result, the Articles of Confederation, was a firm league of friendship among the 13 new states,
overseen by a Congress of men chosen by the state legislatures and in which each state had one vote.
The new Congress of men was a firm league of friendship among the 13 new states,
The new pact gave the federal government few duties and even fewer ways to meet them.
Indicating their inclinations, in the first substantive paragraph,
the authors of this agreement said,
Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence,
and every power, jurisdiction, and right which is not by this confederation
expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled.
Within a decade, the states were refusing to contribute money to the new government
and were starting to contemplate their own trade agreements with other countries.
An economic recession in 1786 threatened farmers in western Massachusetts
with the loss of their farms when the state government in the eastern part of the state refused relief.
In turn, when farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays marched on Boston,
propertied men were so terrified that they were forced to leave the state.
They were so terrified their own property would be seized
that they raised their own army for protection.
The new system clearly could not protect property of either the poor or the rich
and thus faced the threat of landless mobs.
The nation seemed on the verge of tearing itself apart
and the new Americans were all too aware that both England and Spain were standing by
waiting to make the most of the opportunities such chaos would create.
And so, in 1786, leaders called for a reworking of the new government
centered not on the states but on the people of the nation
represented by a national government.
The document began,
We the people of the United States
in order to form a more perfect union.
The Constitution established a representative democracy,
a republic, in which three branches of government,
would balance each other to prevent the rise of a tyrant.
Congress would write all necessary and proper laws,
levy taxes, borrow money, pay the nation's debts,
establish a postal service, establish courts, declare war,
support an army and navy, organize and call forth the militia
to execute the laws of the Union,
and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States.
The president would execute the laws.
But if Congress overstepped, the president could veto proposed legislation.
In turn, Congress could override a presidential veto.
Congress could declare war, but the president was the commander-in-chief of the army
and had the power to make treaties with foreign powers.
It was all quite an elegant system of paths and tripwires, really.
A judicial branch would settle disputes between inhabitants of the United States
of the different states, and guarantee every defendant a right to a jury trial.
In this system, the new national government was uppermost.
The Constitution provided that
the citizens of every state shall be entitled to all privileges
and immunities of citizens in the several states,
and promised that the United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union
a republican form of government,
and shall protect each of them against invasion.
Finally, it declared,
This Constitution, and the laws of the United States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof,
and all treaties made, or which shall be made
under the authority of the United States,
shall be the supreme law of the land,
and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby.
Anything in the Constitution or laws of any state
to the contrary, notwithstanding.
I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such,
Franklin said, after a weary four months spent hashing it out,
because I think a general government necessary for us.
And, he said, it astonishes me to find this system
approaching so near to perfection as it does,
and I think it will astonish our enemies,
who are waiting with confidence
to hear that our states are on the point of separation,
only to meet hereafter
for the purpose of cutting one another's throats.
On the whole, he said to his colleagues,
I cannot help expressing a wish
that every member of the Convention
who may still have objections to it
would, with me, on this occasion,
doubt a little of his own infallibility,
and to make sure that we are not the only ones
to make manifest our unanimity,
put his name to this instrument.
On September 17, 1787, they did.
Letters from an American was written and read by Heather Cox Richardson.
It was produced at Soundscape Productions,
Dedham, Massachusetts.
Recorded with music composed by Michael Moss.
Letters from an American was written and read by Heather Cox Richardson.
Podcast Summary
Key Points:
Benjamin Franklin, a key figure in American founding, supported the new Constitution despite initial reservations, believing a strong national government was essential.
The Articles of Confederation, the first attempt at a national government, gave too much power to the states and failed to address economic and political instability.
Economic crises and social unrest, such as Shays’ Rebellion, exposed the weaknesses of the confederal system in protecting property and maintaining order.
The Constitution replaced the Articles by establishing a stronger federal government with three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—to prevent tyranny and ensure checks and balances.
The new government was designed to provide national unity, protect citizens’ rights, and guarantee each state a republican form of government.
Franklin expressed deep admiration for the Constitution’s balance and perfection, noting it would surprise both allies and enemies.
He urged delegates to question their own infallibility and commit to the document, emphasizing unity and collective responsibility.
On September 17, 1787, delegates signed the Constitution, marking a pivotal moment in the formation of the United States.
Summary:
In the late 18th century, the American colonies faced deep political and economic instability under the weak Articles of Confederation, which centered power in the states and failed to protect citizens or maintain national unity. Shays’ Rebellion and financial crises revealed the system’s inability to safeguard property or respond to national emergencies. In response, delegates convened at the Constitutional Convention to create a stronger federal government.
The resulting Constitution established a representative republic with three co-equal branches to prevent tyranny and ensure balanced power. Congress would legislate, levy taxes, and manage defense; the president would execute laws and command the military; and the judiciary would resolve disputes and uphold rights. The Constitution also guaranteed state rights, national sovereignty, and supremacy of federal law.
Benjamin Franklin, a long-time observer of American governance, supported the new document despite his initial skepticism, praising its balance and foresight. He urged delegates to recognize their own fallibility and commit fully to the new system. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed, marking the foundation of a stable, unified, and enduring American government.
FAQs
The Articles of Confederation gave the federal government very limited powers, such as no ability to collect taxes or enforce laws, leading to financial instability and state non-compliance.
It was called to rework the weak federal government under the Articles of Confederation and create a stronger, more effective national government based on the people.
The federal government could levy taxes, borrow money, declare war, establish courts, regulate trade, maintain an army and navy, and enforce laws to protect the nation.
Congress made laws, the president executed them and could veto legislation, and Congress could override vetoes; the judiciary resolved disputes and ensured legal rights, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.
He approved the Constitution despite its flaws, believing it was necessary for national stability and that it would astonish enemies who thought the states were on the brink of disunity.
It guaranteed that states would retain sovereignty and that the federal government would not override state powers unless explicitly delegated.
Chat with AI
Loading...
Pro features
Go deeper with this episode
Unlock creator-grade tools that turn any transcript into show notes and subtitle files.
PodcastTranscript AI