Happy Independence Day!

Oliver 1 year ago.

Mike and I watched the movie A More Perfect Union a few days ago.  Not a lot of action and adventure, but it was a great movie!  It is all about the convention, led by George Washington, in which the state representatives went through weeks of voting and discussion about the Virginia Plan written by James Madison, which (after revision and much rewriting) eventually became the Constitution of the United States, and was signed by the founding fathers.

I didn't realize how many states there were when the Constitution was signed, and how many people were already in the USA at the time (they said that Virginia alone had 800,000+ people!).  I don't know my US history very well, apparently!

I had always pictured tiny towns with struggling people, fighting off the Indians and barely surviving.  This movie showed the well-established towns and that the people were doing quite well, with the exception of the high prices that England was charging them.  The states were starting to argue, however, about the lack of order and about the rioting and court-burning that was going on because of their inability to govern properly.

George Washington was signed in as President of the United States shortly after the signing of the Constitution, and a new government was born!  It was exciting to watch this movie so close to the 4th of July, when at the same time of year so many years ago all of this was taking place.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!