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The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was a groundbreaking revolutionary document that was ratified on September 28 1776 in Philadelphia, following shortly after the declaration of independence.

The Constitution was created by the Nationalists to create a stronger government. The Localists feared that this may “subvert liberty.” It was met with much resistance hence. [1]

The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 was not fully ratified until September 1787 after a four month meeting of fifty five delegates in Philadelphia. One such important event only happened almost a century before when William Penn drafted a Frame of Government for the Pennsylvania Colony in 1681. [2]


A virtual declaration of independence was signed by the Congress on May tenth and fifteenth, 1776, after which South Carolina, New Jersey and Virginia enacted their constitutions prior to the fourth of July, then seven other states followed. [3] The constitution writers sent to the convention could not have been more different from each other. As was case for Maryland and Pennsylvania, over thirty percent of Maryland citizens were rich land and slave owners, where as to only four percent of Pennsylvanians were slave-owners.

Comparing PA's Constitution with other States' And while Maryland’s constitution writers were experienced lawmakers who had already held offices in the past, PA’s were struggling farmers, lawyers, doctors, urban artisans and teachers who had little or no experience as officeholders. [4] Although neighboring states, these two states were complete opposites. Not all states felt the need to write a completely new constitution. Connecticut and Rhode Island kept theirs the same but cut out any references to the English Crown. “\[5]

By the 18th century, most colonies were trying to achieve what Pennsylvania had already been doing for almost a century already, like the freedom to worship. This is why it is said that Pennsylvania was the embodiment of the American Revolution. One of the more ugly outcomes of the Revolution was the near destruction of the Quaker-middle class democracy. Who Were the Members of The Constitution The membership was very selective and highly discriminative; maybe because they were chosen by committeemen that were themselves in power by force, intimidation and by the power of persuasion, also called radicals. The members had to swear allegiance to the constitution or be declared a traitor. Important figures came from all over the state to write the constitution, ninety-six delegates made the members needed to write the Pennsylvania constitution of 1776 one of the most important and much needed document of its time. [6] But first they had on June eighteenth, a Provincial Conference held at Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia. They had about one hundred and eight members of the conference, where at least fifty-eight held military titles. [7] They immediately chose members; among them were Colonel Thomas McKean who was the president, Colonel Joseph Hart as vice president, Jonathan B. Smith and Samuel C. Morris as the secretaries. Each county including Philadelphia and Bucks had equal representation at the conference. [8]

Before 1776 Of course Pennsylvania was not always what it is today. A territory granted to admiral Sir William Penn’s son by Charles II in 1681. It started out as a Quaker colony then quickly grew into a very diverse and democratic Free State and a haven of religious toleration of all faiths. [9] All males over eighteen years of age were forced to renounce their allegiance to the “King” and report anyone who otherwise was seen as a “traitor,” and a traitor would be imprisoned until he swore allegiance to Pennsylvania. [10] The members worked for eight weeks, after considering and rejecting at least three other ideas for the constitution.

What was Outlined in the Constitution The constitution stated that when a law was drafted, debated and passed, it must be printed and distributed for consideration by the people, then the next legislature would then vote on it a year later; no other states except for Vermont followed PA on this particular rule. [11] Among the chosen members was Benjamin Franklin, who was the president of the convention, and Timothy Matlack and James Cannon. (Francis Jennings 2000)Dr Thomas Young, David Rittenhouse who was a clockmaker were the four Philadelphians that were among the delegates. Other well educated personnel that were part of the members were: lawyers George Ross of Lancaster County, James Smith of York County and farmer Robert Whitehill of Carlisle with some legal training. [12] The majority of the members were also immigrants from Germany, Ireland and Scotland.

What were the Benefits of the constitution Many things were born out of this new constitution; among them was the Presbyterian University of Pennsylvania, which replaced the Anglican and Quaker College of Philadelphia. This act as one can imagine, angered Anglicans and Quakers. [13] The delegates imposed term limits that were restricted to four years of servitude in the legislature in a seven-years time, also a “Council of Censors” were to go through a popular election only once every seven years, to ensure that the constitution has been left intact and that the legislative and the executive branch have been doing their job of being the “guardians of the people.” Again Vermont was the only other state that took after this rule. Thirdly they proposed a reapportionment of the legislature every seven years, this was only achieved in 1962, by the U.S. Congress, almost a century later. The members also talked about limiting personal wealth and power, but they could not pass this law because it would not to be done without having to cease or confiscate private properties. [14]

The Opposing Team The Conservatives were not very happy with some parts of the constitution after it was drafted; some even wished they had stayed with the British. They were mostly upset that rights were given to non-property owners to vote and that they would have a say in the state’s laws. But James Sullivan argued that non-property owners can still be accounted for their own actions, and just like the wealthy, they were just as interested in the legislature. Whereas John Adams spoke out against that, he thought poor people without land were unreliable burdens with no “will of their own.” [15] James Cannon had much opposition with the writers of the new constitution. One of them he rebuked their upper-class view that members of the convention should be well educated, knowledgeable in the history of the Americas, in the laws, mathematics, trade and constitution and policy of all nations and finally have good manners. Instead he did not trust the rich people at all; he thought they will write the constitution to benefit only the rich and the well off. He thought all a member needed was honesty, common sense and plain understanding and should be unaffected by personal motives. Benjamin Franklin as an ambassador took a copy of the constitution with him to France, to be distributed to show the Enlightenment thinkers the progress that Pennsylvania had been making. [16]

This new legislature was unicameral, meaning that laws are made, interpreted and passed by one assembly. Adams thought a “one-house legislature should be treated like poison” he thought they would vote n issues in their favor only. He sought to render the constitution obsolete, even though his friend and his cousin Thomas Cushing and Samuel Adams were in favor of the 1776 Constitution. But on his side were John Dickinson and Robert Morris, they also did not favor the new laws of the constitution at all. Dickinson and Morris were conservatives and spoke out publicly in newspapers against the new laws; they had numerous tactics that would “cripple” the new constitution, one of them was for the next elected assembly to rewrite the constitution, another was for all conservatives to withdraw from the legislature elected in November of 1776, and the third was again for conservatives to refuse to serve in office as: justices of peace, sheriffs, and militia officers even when they are popularly elected. [17] The opponents of the new laws called themselves the anti-Constitutionalists, and their opposing views went on for at least until 1777 and 1778.

Final Thoughts The constitution came in two different parts: the Declaration of Rights and the “Frame” of Government. The constitution demanded anyone who partook in the assembly to swear belief in only one god and the Bible’s Old and New Testament. People, who were still for the Quaker government, like Thomas McKean and John Dickinson, spoke out against this requirement of the new constitution.


Reference

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  1. ^ James Oakes, Michael McGerr. Of The People: a History of the United States. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011).
  2. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. (New York: Penguin Group, 2005), 272.
  3. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. New York: Penguin Group, 2005). 272,
  4. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. (New York: Penguin Group, 2005), 267.
  5. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. (New York: Penguin Group, 2005), 268.
  6. ^ Jennings, Francis. The Creation of America: Through Revolution to Empire. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 37.
  7. ^ Selsam, Paul J. The Pennsylvania Constituion of 1776: A Revolutionary Democracy. (New york: DA Capo Press, 1971), 137.
  8. ^ Selsam, Paul J. The Pennsylvania Constituion of 1776: A Revolutionary Democracy. (New york: DA Capo Press, 1971), 137.
  9. ^ Jennings, Francis. The Creation of America: Through Revolution to Empire. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 39.
  10. ^ Jennings, Francis. The Creation of America: Through Revolution to Empire. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 185.
  11. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. (New York: Penguin Group, 2005), 274.
  12. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. New York: Penguin Group, 2005). 274,
  13. ^ Jennings, Francis. The Creation of America: Through Revolution to Empire. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 188.
  14. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. New York: Penguin Group, 2005). 276,
  15. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. New York: Penguin Group, 2005). 279,
  16. ^ Jennings, Francis. The Creation of America: Through Revolution to Empire. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 192.
  17. ^ Nash, Gary B. "The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create." nash, Gary B. The Unknown American Revolution. New York: Penguin Group, 2005). 280,
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