Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
A Lost Cause: The State of Franklin and Article IV of the Constitution
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
The State of Franklin movement from 1784-1788 was an anomaly in that while it was technically a region in a state of rebellion, it sought every form of legal representation and even pursued statehood in the Union. However, it proved impossible for Franklin to prove its deservedness of statehood while the United States was under the Articles of Confederation, because such government had no clearly defined course to statehood. Thus, when the Constitution was formulated, Article IV was added which addresses this problem.
In this paper, I utilize primary source documents from the North Carolina State Archives, as well as the correspondences of a number of the involved parties, including John Sevier, Richard Caswell, and Alexander Martin. I also utilize documents detailing the perspectives of the Constitution contributors, such as Thomas Jefferson, to reflect that their knowledge of Franklin and remembrance thereof contributed directly to the creation of Article IV of the Constitution.
The underlying contention of this paper, though not directly stated, is that if in fact a rebellious movement in Appalachia directly and solely caused the inclusion of such an integral part of the Constitution as the clause to be admitted to the Union, then Appalachian contributions to the establishment of the United States as a whole cannot be reduced or diminished, for without this Constitutional Article, none of the western states would be such.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
H. Michael Shultz Jr. is a graduate student at Eastern Kentucky University whose specializations include "Minorities in the Progressive Era" and "Pre-Antebellum Appalachia." Michael was the New Century Scholar for Tennessee in 2018, making him the top college student in that state. He has published book reviews in On Point, as well as having numerous publications in Tennessee Mosaic and The Gallery.
A Lost Cause: The State of Franklin and Article IV of the Constitution
The State of Franklin movement from 1784-1788 was an anomaly in that while it was technically a region in a state of rebellion, it sought every form of legal representation and even pursued statehood in the Union. However, it proved impossible for Franklin to prove its deservedness of statehood while the United States was under the Articles of Confederation, because such government had no clearly defined course to statehood. Thus, when the Constitution was formulated, Article IV was added which addresses this problem.
In this paper, I utilize primary source documents from the North Carolina State Archives, as well as the correspondences of a number of the involved parties, including John Sevier, Richard Caswell, and Alexander Martin. I also utilize documents detailing the perspectives of the Constitution contributors, such as Thomas Jefferson, to reflect that their knowledge of Franklin and remembrance thereof contributed directly to the creation of Article IV of the Constitution.
The underlying contention of this paper, though not directly stated, is that if in fact a rebellious movement in Appalachia directly and solely caused the inclusion of such an integral part of the Constitution as the clause to be admitted to the Union, then Appalachian contributions to the establishment of the United States as a whole cannot be reduced or diminished, for without this Constitutional Article, none of the western states would be such.
