A Land of Promise -- America
Colonial History
The discovery of America is the greatest discovery of all time. The people who came here to establish the country were some of the bravest and most independant and resourceful of all time. They each had their reasons. They found groups of like minded friends and came to live free and overcome the elements and explore.
It is very difficult to believe, understand, and know the true history of our first settlers and founding fathers without a belief in God. There just isn’t any way for all the miracles of their survival.
The Colonists were here, and many more came through over the 200 plus years from the discovery until the 17 hundreds. In due course, it became evident that some kind of government needed to be formed. In the beginning, each community governed itself,with complete independence and their own set of rules, usually related to religion and the tenets of that religion. As time passed the number of communities grew and borders were drawn for states. It was like a lot of small countries or colonies; if you will.
Articles of Confederation -- First Constitution of Colonies
After existing as separate units, for a while, some of the leaders of the day thought it would be good to have some form of unified government to bring the colonies together in some things. It was clear that no Colony wanted to give up anything that would infringe on their complete freedom and independence Over time, they came up with the Articles of Confederation. It bound them together in a non unified way. There was no central government or any power in the centralized body. Everything coming from the Central Government could not be implemented until each indiviual Colony had ratified it. There was no power and no responsibility in the Central governing body.
When the Colonies began to feel the oppression of the Brittish King, ideas started to come forth to end the oppression and break forth on their own. These times spawned a grass roots movement of those against British rule and those opposing with solid allegiance to the Kings. In the midst of this debate, sprang forth the Declaration of Independence and over time and debate, it was signed by every single delegate to the convention. Fifty six good, honorable and brave men, committed to the cause of freedom.
Winning the Revolutionary War is a Miracle
However, they soon found themselves embroiled in a real war. It seemed there was no way they could defeat the mighty British Army and Navy. On paper and by numbers, it couldn’t be done. In training and equipment, it couldn’t be done. The Colonies were a rag tag bunch of militia and farmers, no military training and no pay for their services. They would serve a while and then return to try and raise crops to support their families. George Wasington, whom they persuaded to be their leader, never knew for sure that he would have an Army with which to engage the invading British.
The revolutionary War was a miracle in every aspect and meaning of the word. I trust that yuou can find materials to read about it and see for yourself that the Colonists prevailed under very extreme circumstances.
After they won their freedom and independence on the battlefields of their land, it was apparent that a stronger Federal Government had to be extablished. They had uncovered some of the flaws that existed in the Articles of Confederation. A couple of which was that there was no individual with supreme power to raise or pay an Army . There was no central power to negotiate treaties ar agreements with other nations.
Constitutional Convention -- The Making of America
A continental Congress was called and each Colony was asked to send delegates. The purpose of the Congress was to rework the Articles of Confederation to rectify the weakness of it and to establishe some form of Federal Government that could conduct the business of the Colonies in the world arena of other nations and our dealing with them.
The delegates come together to do a patch job on the existing document.
In the course of their debate, things changed. Input came frome many learned and well read men. Ideas here and ideas there and soon the debate was far afield from a patch up job on the Aritcles or Confederation. Instead, it became the establishment of a whole new form of goverment with checks and balances, freedom reserved to the people, Representives and Senators, a president, who in no way was a King or ruler, and a court system to examine all that the President or the legislative branch may set forth to do.
It is my belief that this form of government, that is described in the Constitution of the United States, is a continuation of the miracles that were wrought in the bringing forth of this nation as a true representative Republic where freedom was the enabling force to do good, and to do well and to do no evil.
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