Simone+-+CRD+-+FA12

**Elbridge Gerry**
1.Position: Antifederalist

2.Representative: Representative of Massachusettes.

3. Elbridge Gerry was born in Massachusettes to a wealthy family. Gerry went to Harvard. He served on many legislatures as well as in the Continental Congress.

4. Gerry was present at the Constitutional Convention. He was described as one of the "most vocal delegates." Gerry became the chairman of the Great Compromise becasue he was the one who kept trying to keep the convention from collapsing.

5. Gerry did not attend the ratifying convention, but he was a member.

6. Gerry was friendly with Samuel Adams, who was his mentor when he went to school at Harvard. He made many enemies due to his "classical republican mind that made him anti-monarchy, anti-military, and anti-party." Gerry wanted a government that was a balance between monarchy and democracy and represented republican values. Gerry was known to frustrate people with his contradictions. He was all for a centralized government but he rejected the Constitution because it didn't have a Bill of Right and he felt it was a threat to republicanism. He led a rally against the ratification because it was full of problems such as "inadequate representation of the people, dangerously ambiguous legislative powers, the blending of the executive and the legislative, and the danger of an oppressive judiciary." In 1789, in the character of his contradictory self, Gerry announced that he would support the Constitution because he saw potential. Although he could be seen as trying Gerry had a level head on his shoulders and tried to find compromises for disputes. Gerry opposed a direct election and the executive branch being too dependent. Gerry was very active during the whole convention. He made sure that the government didn't have a single dominating power and looked out for the rights of the people. During the final days of the convention Gerry became extremely concerned with the lack of the Bill of Rights. He and others proposed unsuccessful changes. He, Edmund Randolph, and George Mason called for a second convetion. When the Constitution was ready to be signed Gerry did not sign it. When ratification began Gerry called off the second convention, afraid of anarchy. He pledged to support the Constitution after it was ammended. Massachussettes was the only state to call for ammendments, but almost all states ratified the Constitution. These are Gerry's objections taken from his letter to the Massachussettes legislature: "My principal objections to the plan are that there is no adequate provision for a representation of the people—that they have no security for the right of election—that some of the powers of the Legislature are ambiguous and others are indefinite and dangerous—that the Executive is blended with and will have an undue influence over the Legislature—that the judicial department will be oppressive—that treaties of the highest importance may be formed by the President with the advice of two thirds of a quorum of the Senate—and that the system is without the security of a bill of rights. These are objections which are not local but apply equally to all the States.(Gerry)"

Works Cited:

Bradsher, Greg. "A Founding Father in Dissent." //A Founding Father in Dissent//. Prologue Magazine, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. [].

"Delegates to the Constitutional Convention:Elbridge Gerry." //Delegates to the Constitutional Convention:Elbridge Gerry//. Teaching American History, n.d. Web.13 Sept. 2012. [].


 * Gerry, Elbridge. "Elbridge Gerry's Objections( Letter to Massachusetts Legislature)." Letter to Massachusetts Legislature. 18 Oct. 1787. //Teaching American History//. Ashbrook Center, 2006-12. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. .