Roger Sherman: Negotiator of Compromises in the New American Government with Mark Hall
What unique contributions did the various Founders make to liberty and constitutional self-governance? BRI’s new “American Founders” Scholar Talk Series seeks to answer this and other questions. In this episode, Mark Hall, Herbert Hoover Distinguished Professor of Politics at George Fox University, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams. The two discuss Founder Roger Sherman and touch on his ability to compromise, his contributions to national and state politics, and the reasons why he is not better known today. What contributions by Sherman to the new national government were integral in securing liberty and self-government in America?
Roger Sherman (1721-1793)
In this lesson, students will study the life of Roger Sherman. Students will learn about his contributions to public service, his views on the proper division of power between state and national government, and his view on the role of government.
Roger Sherman in His Own Words
John Adams wrote in his diary on September 15, 1775, “Sherman’s air is the reverse of grace, there cannot be a more striking contrast to beautiful action, than the motions of his hands…” Roger Sherman, the dour and devout Calvinist from Connecticut was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States.
The Constitutional Convention
During the “critical period” after the American Revolution, many were concerned that the Articles of Confederation were inadequate for the states to grow commercially and economically. The Confederation Congress announced a meeting to revise the Articles of Confederation, but not everyone was convinced that the Articles needed revision—or even that the goals of the Convention were admirable. Divisions emerged among the delegates regarding centralized power, executive power, representation, and slavery.