Country Party (Rhode Island) facts for kids

Arthur Fenner, an Anti-Federalist, served as Governor for 15 years.

The Country Party was a political group in Rhode Island during the early years of the United States. It existed from about 1781 until 1805. At its strongest, the Country Party controlled the Rhode Island General Assembly and was very important in state politics from 1785 to 1790.

This party was strongly Anti-Federalist. This means they were against a strong central government. They played a big part in stopping Rhode Island from quickly agreeing to the new U.S. Constitution. Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 states to approve the Constitution.

Rhode Island was known for wanting to be very independent. It was the first of the thirteen colonies to declare independence, even before the United States Declaration of Independence. The U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which was the first set of rules for the United States. The new Constitution created a stronger national government.

The Country Party did not like the Constitution for several reasons. They worried about civil liberties, which are your basic rights and freedoms. They didn't trust a big government far away. They also disagreed about how money should work. They wanted to keep using paper money issued by the state, and they wanted it to be worth its full value.

Why the Country Party Opposed the Constitution

Scituate's William West and South Kingstown's Jonathan Hazard were key leaders of the Country Party. This party was mostly made up of people from rural areas. They were suspicious of a government that felt too far away from everyday people.

Because of these concerns, the Country Party decided not to send delegates to the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. This was the meeting where the U.S. Constitution was written. When the Constitution was presented to the states, Hazard's group tried to delay Rhode Island's approval. They almost stopped it completely.

Many people in Rhode Island had reasons to oppose the Constitution. For example, Quakers were against it because it allowed slavery. Baptists also opposed it. They had often faced unfair treatment from governments in the past. Many people worried the new government would not protect their basic rights. They wanted a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms. People in rural Rhode Island also wanted to make sure their state-issued paper money would still be accepted as legal payment.

How the Constitution Was Approved

For the Constitution to become law, nine out of the 13 states had to approve it. Rhode Island already had a reputation for not cooperating well under the Articles of Confederation. It had also refused to join the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

Some states quickly approved the Constitution without conditions. Delaware was the first on December 7, 1787. But as more people organized against it, it became clear that not enough states would approve it unless there was a promise. This promise was that the new Congress would add important changes, like a Bill of Rights, to the Constitution. Those who supported the Constitution agreed to this.

As people discussed these changes, more states began to favor approving the Constitution. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to approve it. News of this quickly reached Rhode Island.

William West's Protest in Rhode Island

William West led almost 1,000 armed farmers to Providence. They went to protest a celebration for the Constitution on July 4, 1788. People who supported the Constitution were planning to celebrate it. Violence between the Federalists (who supported the Constitution) and Anti-Federalists (who opposed it) was avoided. This happened because the Federalists agreed to celebrate only independence, not the Constitution. This event became known across the country.

By the end of July 1788, Virginia and New York had also approved the Constitution. This brought the total to 11 states. Only North Carolina and Rhode Island were left. It seemed very likely that all states would eventually approve it, especially with the promise of a Bill of Rights. The Constitution officially began when the First Congress met on March 4, 1789. George Washington became President in April.

The First Congress suggested the Bill of Rights in September. It would then be approved by the states and become law about two years later. In November, North Carolina approved the Constitution.

Rhode Island Joins the Union

The strong Anti-Federalist views in Rhode Island, supported by the Country Party, definitely helped make sure a Bill of Rights was created. However, by the spring of 1790, it seemed strange that Rhode Island was still holding out. The Bill of Rights had been approved by Congress, and Rhode Island was the only state not represented.

Rhode Island looked like a state stubbornly ignoring its own country. The new national government put pressure on "Rogue Island" to join. The Rhode Island legislature had delayed a meeting to discuss the Constitution 11 times. Finally, they called for one in South Kingstown in March 1790. The members could not agree.

So, another meeting was held in Newport in May. Newport was a place where many people supported the Constitution. There, the Constitution was approved by a very small number of votes. This happened after some Anti-Federalists left the meeting. Also, Governor John Collins decided to support the Constitution, which ended his political career.

Rhode Island was the last of the original states to approve the Constitution. The vote was 34 to 32. Rhode Island's first U.S. Senators took their seats on June 25, 1790. Its first U.S. Representative joined on December 17. This was just weeks before Congress welcomed Vermont as a new state.

What Happened Next

After the Constitution was approved, Rhode Islanders elected Anti-Federalist Arthur Fenner as governor for the next 15 years. Some Country Party leaders, like William West, faced financial problems. This was because the new national government refused to accept the state's paper money as legal payment.