American history is undeniably built on the history of the people, their beliefs, and their actions; but in order to understand the roots of Liberty and Independence that people of United States pursued we need to recognize a long way from 17th century that certainly give a reflection in our days lives.
More than decade of incredibly controversial time in early America history precedes to these words “We the People”, which in 1787 appeared on the American Constitution. Around 1774 to 1783, there is an increasing struggle that became visible between British government and American colonies. America raised its voice in a protest over British colonial policies and demanded independence. With this rise America of 1780s has entered a period, which was given a special term by John Quincy Adams, the Critical Period. This period falls right after the American Revolution of 1783 up to a time when George Washington became a president in 1789. During the Critical Period independent former colonies were overwhelmed with a wide range of foreign and domestic problems. Although, some historians believe it was an unpleasant if not terrible time for Americans, when others state that the term “Critical Period” is exaggerated, pointing the fact that the 1780s led to an economic growth and political stability. But for people in the colonies who lived those days the times certainly did not look as prosperous as we see them now:
By the year 1750 England had passed many laws to encourage trade with her colonies. Some of the laws forbade them to trade with other countries or even, in some cases, with one another. Had all these laws been rigidly carried out, the great Revolution might have come before it did. But they were not so enforced…The French and Indian War had given the colonists new confidence in themselves. (Perry).
The last straw as we see from the course of history was the Stamp Act, which ignited the collecting disagreements and a storm of protest broke forth. And even though the Stamp Act was later repealed by Britain; the colonies had enough:
In 1774 representatives from all the colonies, except Georgia, met at Philadelphia. This meeting was known as the First continental Congress. It sent a petition to the king and Parliament protesting against the way the colonies were being treated. More than this, it was agreed that the people throughout the several colonies should act together in withstanding English tyranny… Americans made a point of not buying any British goods, thus killing the English trade with them. English troops were sent to Boston, which further irritated the colonists. In 1770 disturbances between soldiers and citizens have been given the exaggerated titles of the Battle of Golden Hill and the Boston Massacre. Finally, England withdrew all duties except that on tea. (Perry)
On July 4, 1776 the statement was adopted by the Continental Congress, The Declaration of Independence, which announced that thirteen American Colonies consider themselves independent states from Great Britain. Basically the Declaration was an explanation why America is no longer under English power:
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world…In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. (Declaration of Independence)
Who were “Free People” and “The People” of the United States of those times? John Adams (lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist) put forward a resolution earlier. Committee of Five including Adams and four others: Sherman (lawyer and politician), Franklin (leading author, printer, political theorist, politician), Jefferson (congressman and diplomat), and Livingston (lawyer, politician, and diplomat ) assembled the draft to be ready for Congress to vote. But did they speak on behalf of whole Nation? Did they do it for the indentured servants, black slaves, and Indians? Certainly not. The term “We the People” referred to only white men who has right to vote. Per Declaration, it is said that “all men are created equal”, but how about women? In year of 1776 nobody would have question the words “men” referred to men not all humans that include women. The question about equality of men and women came up only 72 years later when the first Woman's Rights Convention was held in New York:
It is a singular fact that the greatest event in American history – the Declaration of Independence – has been the subject of more incorrect popular belief, more bad memory of the part of participants, and more false history than any other occurrence in our national life. (Warren)
We see another argument about Declaration of Independence and it similarity of American approach with its very mother country Great Britain law in Declaration's defense of the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" conveyed nothing more radical than established British law. Much ink has been spilt arguing that those concepts came from the English philosopher John Locke, or perhaps the Scottish enlightenment, or even American Indian tradition. In reality, the drafters were probably inspired by dowdy old common law, which had long before recognized life, liberty and property as an Englishman's "absolute rights." Even Jefferson's reference to "the pursuit of happiness" was founded on British constitutional principles.
And yet, the Declaration of Independence makes no explicit claim to British pedigree, but appeals to "the laws of nature and of nature's God" and "the supreme judge of the world" to support its argument. That turned what otherwise would have been a mere restatement of English law into an invitation to the world to recognize certain "self-evident" truths about equality and freedom. (Freedman)
So, who were the real people in America that Founding Fathers did not mention in Declaration and Constitution? None of the servants, black, Indians, and even women had right to vote; to speak up, to live the fulfilling life. It is important to remember that good part of the America was built by simple people that did not have rights but had tons of responsibilities. Servitude as the state of being a slave existed in Colonial America since1619 when the first Africans were brought to the New World. But the servitude as a subject to someone more powerful existed in Colonial America in a form of indentured servants, people who did it voluntarily in order to gain the freedom at the end of the term of service. Both of these types influenced our notions of race and labor today. American Colonies were considered by British government as the endless source of wealth. The colonial elite did not mind having slaves and servants. But they did not like the British Empire dictating the trade rules and placing the taxes. The idea of a trade and bringing manufacturing goods into the colonies in exchange of raw materials to make the mother country wealthier was the leading idea in creation of colonies.
Who were the people who ruled the political powers in early colonies? Plantation owners became the main economical, political, and social force; and landowners with their rights to vote were moving political arena:
Farmers near water transportation grow some cash crops for trade; farmers inland emphasize subsistence farming. Small land grants commonly made to individual settlers; large tracts often granted to well-connected colonists. All forms of domestic livestock, except turkeys, are imported at some time; crops borrowed from Indians include maize, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, gourds, squashes, watermelons, beans, grapes, berries, pecans, black walnuts, peanuts, maple sugar, tobacco, and cotton. Tobacco is the first important American export. Colonies export tobacco, rice, indigo, grain, and meat products. Farmers endure rough pioneer life while adapting to new environment (Growing a Nation)
With African American slaves, Indian slaves, and white servants in place the American society was clearly divided in classes, creating the pyramid with slaves at the bottom and American aristocracy on a top. The American aristocracy that who were “We The People” ; and those people did see the division of the American society; yet did not do anything to mention it in Declaration or Constitution. As we say they had “Bigger fish to fry”, the demand of the Freedom and Liberty, independence from the King and British Empire. The people that were the core of the Nation, simple people, remained invisible in the battle of the high class in gaining the power.
George Washington was the richest man in America. John Hancock was a prosperous Boson merchant. Benjamin Franklin was a wealthy printer. And so on. On the other hand, town mechanics, laborers, and seamen, as well as small farmers, were swept into “the people” by the rhetoric of the Revolution, by the camaraderie of military service, by the distribution of some land. Thus was created a substantial body o support, a national consensus, something that, even with the exclusion of ignored and oppressed people, could be called “America”. (Zinn).
The wind of Revolution was blown by the cream of the crop; the actual Revolution was made and was only possible with the help of different class, which truly should be named The People.
Bibliography and Cited Work:
Declaration of Independence (http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration.html)
Foner, Eric Give Me Liberty!, Volume I, Second Seagull Edition, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-393-93255-3
Freedman, Adam. Independence, British-Style.Nee York Times; N.Y. 03 July 2009: A. 27 http://0-search.proquest.com.alice.dvc.edu/nationalnewscore/docview/434140018/13526B8B2BC40C053B4/10?accountid=38376
Growing A Nation: The History of American Agriculture . 02/22/12
Perry, Arthur Jr.; Price, Gertrude American History, New York, 1914
http://books.google.com/ebooks/reader?id=i8cXAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&pg=GBS.PR1
The Constitution of the United States (http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution.html)
Warren, Charles. "Fourth of July Myths." The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, vol. 2, no. 3 (July 1945): 238–72. http://www.jstor.org/pss/1921451
Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of the United States. Abridged Teaching Edition, Volume I, ISBN: 9781565847248
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