Unruly Americans and the Origins of the Constitution by Woody Holton

After American colonialists had succeeded in over throwing British rule, the thirteen states were troubled by a complicated dilemma, an economic crisis with some calling for tax relief while others demanded stringent fiscal enforcement. Some believed that the revolution had not gone far enough, while others believed it had gone too far. The Framers who created the American Constitution took on the task of appeasing these two seemingly incongruous views. Woody Holton, in Unruly Americans and the Origins of the Constitution, attempts to reveal how the Framers acted in favour of those who believed the Revolution had gone too far, while trying to appease the majority – American farmers – were in favour of more democracy.

Holton exemplifies how these two conflicting beliefs played out in post-Revolutionary America by describing one of the farmers' rebellions that intimidated the American elite. In Virginia, Greenbrier farmers, lead by Adonijah Mathews, staged an uprising against high taxes. As Holton put's it, the fact that the Virginia farmers had succeeded in intimidating state government proved to the elite the extent to which the will of the majority had become to powerful (Holton, 12). Holton provides ample examples of rebellion, illustrating the fact that 'ordinary Americans', mainly farmers, did not agree with the Frames that the revolution had created a republic that was too democratic. Holton's evidence proves the contrary, that ordinary Americans thought that the thirteen state governments didn't listen to them enough. (Holton, 153). The description of these rebellions also establishes the link between rebellion and tax relief. Holton points out that “Rebellions and confrontations resulted in relief where petitions and ...

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...rgues that Madison was instead holding to political principles formed at the dawning of the Revolution (Holton 259). Madison was consistently worried about the abuse of power he attributed the the natural states of governing bodies. Thus when Madison perceived the huge amount of power held by bondholders over a federal government that also had great power, Madison was repelled.

Holton argues that the Framers formulated a constitution that appeased both the bondholders and allowed for the reduction in taxes paid. Holton cites evidence on how much bondholders actually gained from the Funding Bill. For example, he states “that by 1792 four out of five dollars collected by the federal government was disbursed to bondholders” (Holton 266).

Works Cited

Holton, W. (2008). Unruly americans and the origins of the constitution (1 pbk ed.). New York: Hill and Wang.