Confounding Father: A Contrarian View of the U.S. Constitution

The Articles of Confederation was an alliance, not a government. Frightened with how democratic the state legislatures had become, a group of elites gather in Philadelphia to create a powerful government to protect their interests. The Virginia Plan seeks a President elected for life and veto power over state laws. Maryland delegate Luther Martin & a few others counter with the New Jersey Plan.

Arriving late to Philadelphia, Luther Martin makes a two day speech against the Virginia Plan; he has been vilified ever since. Who were the "Anti-federalists" and what were their objections? Textbooks & many historians celebrate the compromises that created our structure of government. But many compromises were ugly & unfortunate - the multiple protections for slavery are highlighted here.

Many framers wanted to give congress nearly unlimited taxing authority. The powers of the executive branch are left surprisingly vague. Many antifederalists opposed a peacetime army. "Ensure domestic tranquility" is a euphemism for putting down rebellions. Many Americans were shocked by the power of the new national government; they had expected only a revised Articles of Confederation.

The ratification battle still echoes in American politics - Luther Martin published & spoke vehemently against the U.S. Constitution. The Bill of Rights was a concession to opponents & not favored by many famous Founders. The U.S. Constitution has become more democratic & thus upends the original intention of the framers, but does it still primarily protect white elites? Epilogue on Luther Martin.