Dave Does History

Everybody knows *that* guy.

You know.. the one who has to keep asking weird questions or making absurd pronouncements when the meeting is wrapping up and everybody wants to leave. It’s almost like they are utterly oblivious and definitely not reading the room.

It terms of the Constitutional convention, *that* guy is named George Mason. And while the Convention has a scheduled eleven day break, starting as soon as the day ends, he wants to bring up a bunch of obtuse points. Right Now…

In the context of “the United States,” what exactly is a “State?”

Today, it seems obvious to us, but remember that in 1776 there were “States” that shared their governor. At least one of the “States” technically wasn’t a State at all, but rather a dubiously area of leased lands, that while it had its own legislative body, it was only because the State that “owned” the land didn’t like the people who lived there and didn’t want them voting in their elections and legislature. In June of 1776, the leased lands fixed that by declaring their Independence, three weeks before the entire nation did the same thing.

At any rate, the whole question of new States would vex the nation from the very beginning. By the middle of July in 1787, there were two distinct schools of thought about the concept of adding new States to the Union. They can be briefly summarized as follows:

One side said, “DO NOT add new States.”

The other side said… “DO add new States.”

And while many of the Philadelphia convention delegates leaned into the second thought, there were others who acted to make certain that the second way of thinking would prevail…

A few weeks ago, I asked the question, exactly which Framers’ values and principles should we “be getting back to?”

As the Convention lurched into the sixth week, and the heat in Philadelphia grew hotter, the delegates were – at least verbally – at each others throats. while the myth of unity still held in the media and even in sermons, the truth was that the convention was literally held together byt he strength of a “single human hair.”

Madison thought he had an answer, and Washington fumed over “States Rights Demagogues.” Benjamin Franklin famously suggested that each session start with prayer. But it would be up to two relatively unknown delegates to change the course of history…

There came a time when the political system was unable to deal with the pressures brought on it by the political differences which divided the nation. By April of an election year, there were men who had decided that the moderate course which had guided the nation for four score and four years was no longer acceptable to them.

In the arena of politics, calculations were made, votes were counted, and positions were staked out. The people of the country were not willing to believe that the extremist on either side were really willing to carry out their threats. Their leaders knew this, but when power is at stake, the will of the people is one of the last true considerations…

As the summer begins to warm the streets of Philadelphia, the temperatures inside the State House begin to rise. While most believe that the convention delegates are “united,” the truth is much, much darker. The “small” States are horrified at the Virginia Plans implications. They see it as nothing less than their compete and utter annihilation.

In fact, the ONLY unity among the delegates, is a willingness to allow for a delay in approving the Virginia Plan so as to hear and debate other plans. There are two such plans are now on the table.

South Carolina’s plan is being openly ignored by pretty much everyone, while Patterson of New Jersey proposes the only realistic counter to the Virginians. While the New Jersey plan would save the Union and keep the smaller States happy, it has a major legal problem.

As the debate intensifies, the anger and animosity explodes into pointed and frank exclamations. As Gouverneur Morris slaps Washington on the back in joy over winning an apparent debate point (against Hamilton),  Elbridge Gerry will write, “unless a system of government is adopted by Compact, Force, I expect will plant the standard…”

One of the things that I have wanted to do for some time is a complete revision of the Convention Episodes of Constitution Thursday. This summer, except for the three weeks I will be gone, Dave Does History gives me the chance to do just that. For the next few months we will take a weekly look at the things that happened in the Philadelphia in the Summer of 1787. This will not be a word for word repeat of the original Convention episodes, but with a new audience it will give us a chance to once again consider the struggle that lead to our Constitution…

This week in 1787 is the designated time for delegate appointed by each State – except one – to arrive in Philadelphia to begin the process of revising the Articles of Confederation. In the previous year, at a conference in Annapolis, it was finally recognized that the government of the United States was just not functional in a meaningful way. This Philadelphia Conference was meant to try and fix some of the glaringly obvious issues that were causing more and more problems.

Of note, the weather in Philadelphia, and all up and down the mid-Atlantic seaboard, was a mess. The delegates had been scheduled to arrive beginning on May 13th, but few had actually managed to navigate the morass of mud and torrent filled rivers to get there.

But those who had arrived, almost entirely Virginians, were determined to make good use of the time while they awaited the rest of the Delegates…

Once upon a time, NYC was the leader in American dislike for the British. What you gotta understand is that Great Britain and the US were almost thinking about going to war against each other… again. The whole “Fifty-four Forty or Fight” thing, among other disputes. This time though, it wasn’t the national governments that stopped it. 

Still, it the common opinion in America to dislike all things British. Including actors. Which was weird, because at one point Americans in NYC, an American actor starting trying to out-act a British Actor performing in Shakespearian play.

Follow me here… two actors… one British, one American… were competing at performing Shakespeare. Specifically, Macbeth. Americans were encouraged to boo and hiss at the British actors while cheering the American ones.

And… on May 10, 1849 this competition, driven by class and national rivalry, got… well… like NYC… out of hand…

For what seems to be basically an American drinking festival, Cinco de Mayo has become “a lightening rod for controversy*.”

A few years ago in California, white students began wearing American Flag t-shirts to school on the day. Of course, this was met with outrage, because… that’s what high school students have learned is the “proper” response to a perceived insult.

When t-shirts aren’t the issue, so-called “cultural appropriation” becomes the rally cry. How dare Americans celebrate a Mexican holiday? Drinking cerveza and eating burritos! Outrage!!!!

Of course, the bigger problem is that none of these reactions are based on even a cursory understanding of history. If it were, we could all united together and do what Norte Americanos have done since the mid 1600’s – Blame the French!

*My all time favorite phrase used every week by the Modesto Bee writers to describe to various happenings around the County

Admiral Irosuku Yamamoto, the leader of the Imperial Japanese Navy, was reputed to have once said that he personally would dictate the peace terms to the United States in the Oval Office. As the mastermind behind the the attack on Pearl Harbor, Yamamoto was seen as the evil genius behind the successes of the Japanese Navy up through the end of the Guadalcanal Campaign in early 1943.

Now, in a desperate attempt to shore up Japanese morale after the defeat on Guadalcanal, Yamamoto elected to make a tour of the front lines around Bougainville Island.

What he hadn’t figured out, even after the shattered sword of the the Battle of Midway, was that the United States had long ago cracked the Japanese codes they used to communicate. The US Military knew that the Admiral was coming to Bougainville.

At just after 0725 on the morning of April 18, 1943, eighteen of the 339th Squadron of US Army Air Corps P-38 Lightning’s began to lift off from Guadalcanal, carrying extra fuel tanks. Two planes immediately turned back.

Just over two hours later, two groups of airplanes met over the green island of Bougainville.

Today, April 11, is the anniversary of the founding of the US Navy’s Submarine Fleet! for one hundred and twenty-three years, US Navy Submariners have carried on the traditions and training of the worlds finest underwater warriors. When the Battleships were stuck in the mud of Pearl Harbor, the Submarines carried the attack to the Empire of Japan. when Missiles piled up on Cuba, US Submarines made it clear to the Soviets, “You Shall not pass!” It’s not well known, but the first shots taken at Saddam – both times – were launched from US Navy Submarines.

For all the glory and all the accomplishments, there is still, great pain. 

Yesterday, April 10, 1963, The countries newest and most technologically advance nuclear submarine, vanished will all hands off the coast of New England. One hundred and twenty nine souls went to the depths that day, and now, sixty years later, we still do not know what actually happened.

Believe me, there are theories galore.

But the only thing we know for absolute 100% certainty, is that we have no idea what happened.