United States History Student Edition

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George Washington on Ratification

Letters of a Landholder Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut served as a delegate at the

Each state held its own convention to cast a vote on ratifying the Constitution. Georgia’s convention decided to allow the possibility of not approving parts of the Constitution. George Washington commented on that decision in a letter. PRIMARY SOURCE: LETTER “ If a weak State, with powerful tribes of Indians in its rear, and the Spaniards on its flank , do not incline to embrace a strong general

Constitutional Convention. Following the convention, he wrote a series of essays called “Letters of a Landholder” to present his views on ratification to the farmers and landholders in his state.

PRIMARY SOURCE: ESSAY “ If, my countrymen, you wait for a constitution which absolutely bars a power of doing evil, you must wait long, and when obtained it will have no power of doing good. I allow you are oppressed, but not from the quarter that jealous and wrongheaded men would insinuate . You are oppressed by the men, who to serve their own purposes would prefer the shadow of government to the reality. You are oppressed for the want of power which can protect commerce, encourage business, and create a ready demand for the productions of your farms. . . . The landholders and farmers have long borne this oppression, we have been patient and groaned in secret, but can promise for ourselves no longer; unless relieved, madness may excite us to actions we now dread. ” —From Letters of a Landholder, No. 3, by Oliver Ellsworth, November 19, 1787 EXAMINE THE SOURCE 1. Identifying What did Ellsworth mean when he said that some would prefer “the shadow of government to the reality”? 2. Analyzing Points of View Why does Ellsworth believe farmers should support the Constitution? Explain using his words. insinuate to hint or suggest

Government, there must, I should think, be either wickedness, or insanity in their conduct. ” — From a letter to Samuel Powel, by George Washington, January 18, 1788

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EXAMINE THE SOURCE 1. Explaining What does this brief statement reveal about Washington’s beliefs about the Constitution? Explain your answer using his words. 2. Analyzing Points of View Why does Washington indicate that it would be in Georgia’s best interest to ratify the Constitution?

PHOTO: The Picture Art Collection/Alamy Stock Photo. TEXT: (l)Maggs, Gregory E. A Concise Guide to the Records of the State Ratifying Conventions as a Source of the Original Meaning of the U.S. Constitution. Illinois Law Review, Vol. 2009, No. 2. Champaign, Ill.: University of Illinois College of Law, 2009. (r)Ford, Paul Leicester, ed. Essays on the Constitution of the United States, Published during Its Discussion by the People, 1787-1788. Brooklyn: Historical Printing Club, 1892.

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