THE CEMENT OF INTEREST: INTERSTATE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS, INTERSTATE COMMERCE, AND THE TRANSITION FROM THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION TO THE CONSTITUTION, 1783-1786

This thesis shows how commercial issues helped lead to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Under the Articles of Confederation (1781-1789), interstate tariffs impeded domestic commerce and free trade with foreign countries threatened to undermine America’s economic independence. These two problems suggested a dual solution: free and equal trade within the U.S. and a national tariff to protect American industries from foreign competition. When Congress failed to solve these problems, several states negotiated among themselves. Some states sought to pressure their neighbors by conditioning approval of interstate internal improvements on the removal of interstate tariffs. Amid these negotiations, some politicians became convinced that the ultimate obstacle to unfettered interstate trade was the Confederation’s political structure, which enshrined state sovereignty. These politicians ultimately succeeded in convening the Constitutional Convention, forging a more powerful federal government, creating a nationwide free-trade zone, and convincing the new Congress to enact a national tariff in 1789.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History

Grantor dc:publisher

Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Lillard, Scott K.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Shulman, Peter

• American History
• Economic History
• History
• Law
• Legal Studies
• Modern History

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1354829932

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:case1354829932