Gunning Bedford Jr. and the United States Constitution

The United States Constitution is one of the greatest documents ever created that is not only historical, but is also the foundation for which our government is based upon. Our Constitution was created by the founding fathers of this country with the purpose of giving this country a framework for the government. It's creation during the Constitutional Convention marked the first time a true democracy was drafted, and one of the few times the colonies came together in support of one cause. The members of the Constitutional Convention all shared major parts in contributing to the Constitution, one of whom was, Gunning Bedford, Jr. of Delaware, who played an influential role during the Convention. His advocacy for states' rights and a limited government were very influential during the drafting of the Constitution, and he played a key role.

Gunning Bedford, Jr. was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA in 1747, where he was one of seven children. He attended the College of New Jersey; know known as Princeton University, in 1771, where he graduated with honors as a classmate of James Madison. He married Jane B. Parker while still in school, and had at least one daughter with her during their marriage. After he graduated, he opened up his own law practice in Delaware, where he set up a name for himself. Later, he served in the Continental Army where he was an aide to George Washington. He became more politically active after the war, as he sat in the State Legislature, Council, and the Continental Congress. He later became the Attorney General of Delaware, and in 1789 the Federal District Judge of Delaware. He spent his final years aiding the Wilmington Academy and fostering abolitionism, but died in 1812 at age 65 (Pickett OL).

Bedford played a huge role in the Constitutional Convention, and he passed on many of his beliefs to the document. Bedford was known for having concerns with the Articles of Confederation, and wanting to fix the political and economic problems it brought. His main goal in the convention was to push for the rights of smaller states and their protection from the heavily populated states, which he said would come from alliances with foreign nations. He entered the convention as an advocate for amending the Articles of Confederation, but when the idea of a new document was proposed, he gladly backed that idea. He was an advocate for the New Jersey Plan, which had equal representation for all states, and he argued that states should have some control over the federal branches. He was a dominant force at the Convention, hardly ever missing a session, and one of his most important contributions was his help with the Great Compromise. He sat on the committee that drafted the compromise, and he helped to make the new plan of government more acceptable by all of the states (Wikipedia OL).

I believe that Gunning Bedford Jr.'s contributions to the Constitutional Convention were very important for the smaller states in the union. His advocacy for states' rights is very important to the way the Constitution was drafted. His fight for states' rights over some branches of the federal government may have helped lead discussion into the system of checks and balances we have today. His acknowledgment for the importance of equal representation and limited power by the executive branch show that his goals were to create a fair and equal government that was truly democratic. His presence at the convention was strongly felt, as his speeches are described as powerful, and he is remembered as a bold speaker. He gave a valiant effort at the Constitutional Convention, and his ideas were greatly respected and considered.

Gunning Bedford Jr. was an influential member of the Constitutional Convention. All of the signers of the Constitution made their own contributions to the writing of it, and Bedford's influence was just as important as any others. His advocacy for strong states' rights and a control of the strength of the government, gave small states a powerful voice at the Convention, and it made the Constitution more acceptable by all of the states. Bedford's contributions to the Constitution are strong and well-appreciated, and his ideas are the basis for some of our laws today.Works Cited

Pickett, Russ. Gunning Bedford Jr. Accessed 7 Jan. 2006. .

Wikipedia Encyclopedia. Gunning Bedford. Accessed 7 Jan. 2006. .