David Brearley was a delegate from New Jersey. He attended the constitutional convention with other New Jersey delegates including the outspoken William Patterson. Brearley was a fairly quiet man, not overly important compared to the other more famous delegates at … Continue reading
When first describing George Read, a delegate from Delaware, in Plain, Honest Men (2009) Richard Beeman notes that the delegate gave a “clear signal of serious trouble down the the road” just as the Convention began (71). This “trouble” pertained … Continue reading
Richard Beeman’s initial description of Charles Pinckney conveys a negative tone not typically seen with the remainder of the other framers. Charles Pinckney, one of the four delegates from South Carolina, was one of the few delegates who advocated the … Continue reading
Gouverneur Morris was a delegate from Pennyslvania who participated in the Second Constitutional Convention. Richard Beeman introduces Morris in his book, Plain, Honest Men: The Making of The American Consitution, as an intelligent and oratorically gifted man. Born into wealth … Continue reading
The eldest and arguably wisest of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 was Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s greatest and most successful citizens. His ventures into newspaper publishing, science, and diplomacy overseas, among others, prove that there was very little … Continue reading
Alexander Hamilton played a slight, yet important, role in the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was best known for his career as a financial role in the early American government. With a strong background in law, Hamilton approached the Constitutional … Continue reading
Elbridge Gerry was an important figure in the Constitutional Convention, best known for his undying skepticism of centralized government power. It was this skepticism that ultimately led him to not sign the Constitution on September 17, 1787. Gerry’s biographer even … Continue reading
One of the biggest advocates for the “small states” during the Constitutional Convention, William Paterson is most remembered for his stern opposition of Edmund Randolph’s proposed Virginia Plan which called for proportional representation in the “national” legislature. Born in Ireland, … Continue reading
In Plain, Honest Men (2009), Richard Beeman claims that “Only one member of the Convention envisioned an American government, and a president, much like those we have today” (129). That man, according to Beeman, was James Wilson. Though he remains … Continue reading