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Declaration of Grievances to the Constitution
The challenge the writers of the Constitution faced was translating the ideals and grievances of the Declaration of Independence into a viable governing document. They were tasked to include the lessons learned from trying to create a new country under the Articles of Confederation, which was not workable.
Read MoreThe Parliamentary Bully
Yet, when one looks at the acts of Parliament, under Lord North’s arrogant leadership, they were the acts of a bully. British leaders didn’t think anyone living outside England had any smarts or ability, yet at the time, the majority of the residents of the Thirteen Colonies were from England!
Read MoreThe Little Known Fifth Terrible Act
By 1774, Parliament decided to address some of the major issues England faced trying to govern this ill-defined piece of land called Canada. In the Quebec Act, the British Parliament defined the boundaries of Canada to include what is now Southern Ontario, the land along the St. Lawrence River to Nova Scotia and what is now Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and much of Minnesota.
Read MorePrecursor to the Declaration of Independence
Needless to say, these acts were like pouring gasoline on a fire. Invitations went out to the 13 Colonial legislatures to meet in Philadelphia to discuss what to do. Only Georgia elected not to send a delegation because a significant portion of the population were Loyalists. Fifty-six men attended the First Continental Congress, which began on September 5th, 1774, and recessed on October 26th, 1774.
Read MoreThe First of Its Kind
Like most political bodies, a committee was formed that included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson. Since Jefferson had the best “hand” and was a more “polished writer, he was given the task of writing the document that was edited by Thomas Paine and John Adams.
Read MoreWho Were the Stamp Congress Delegates?
The vigorous “who should or can we sign” debate led to Thomas McKeon of Delaware challenging Timothy Ruggles from Massachusetts to a duel. Cooler heads prevailed, and the duel did not take place. Ultimately, six colonies, which were a majority, signed, and the document was sent to the British Parliament.
Read MoreBefore the First Continental Congress, There Was the Stamp Act Congress
With England victorious in the Seven Years’ War, which we call the French and Indian War, the British government had gone deeply into debt. Parliament’s thinking was that the Thirteen Colonies should pay their portion of the debt, as well as assuming the cost of the 10,000 British soldiers stationed there to protect them. Thus, Parliament passed the Stamp Act of 1765.
Read MoreThe Lee Resolution
Back to June 7th, 1776. The desire for independence was growing both in Congress and amongst the population. The question being debated was what to do next. In many ways, our Founding Fathers were venturing into new territory by seeking total independence from the mother country, Merry Olde England.
Read MoreMess Cooks
One by one, the mess cooks would dump their mess’s rations into the kettle, where they would be boiled. If they were cooking meat, a mess tag was attached to the meat that was placed in a burlap bag. At the end of the string, stick with the number of the mess hung over the edge of the kettle.
Read MoreThe Role of the Purser
Thus, the purser, even though he was an employee of a ship owner or an officer in the Navy, was also an independent contractor. A purser who purchased poor-quality or insufficient food could become very unpopular in a hurry. In some cases where a purser was not assigned or died, the duties of the purser were assigned to the Second or Third Lieutenant. Captains who did not allow pursers on board their ships did so in an attempt to minimize the potential for corruption.
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