Congress, Hewes
supported a ban on
importing British
goods, even though
he knew his business
would suffer. One of
his most important
actions was support¬
ing a little-known
sailor named John
Paul Jones to become
a naval officer. Jones
became one of
America's most famous naval heroes during the
Revolutionary War. Hewes served as secretary of
the Naval Affairs Committee until his death. He
was buried in a church cemetery in Philadelphia,
although the exact site has been lost to history.
William Blount (left) is buried m Knoxville,
Tennessee. Hugh Williamson (right) was a bril¬
liant scholar whose studies and writings cov¬
ered a wide range of subjects. Images courtesy of
the North Carolina Museum of History.
Signeps o? Site Coitsf*if*zrf*io«
After the Revolutionary War some members of
Congress, called Federalists, wanted a new consti¬
tution that created a strong central government.
Others preferred a government in which individ¬
ual states were strong and independent. North
Carolinians played an active role in defining the
direction and future of the United States.
Five Tar Heels — William Blount, Richard Dobbs
Spaight, Hugh Williamson, William Richardson
Davie, and Alexander Martin — served as delegates
to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, although
only three ended up signing the document. Davie
was called away on personal business and never
returned. Martin left Philadelphia in August 1787
before the final draft was completed. Here are
some interesting facts about the North Carolinians
who did sign the U.S. Constitution:
Blount (1749-1800) was the only founding
father from a family with long ties to North
Carolina. His great-grandfather, Thomas Blount,
came from England, settling in the state sometime
after 1660. According to most accounts, William
Blount did not actively participate in the conven¬
tion and signed the Constitution only reluctantly,
to help ensure its adoption by all thirteen states.
After settling in Tennessee, he was elected to the
U.S. Senate in 1796 — only to be impeached by the
House and dismissed by the Senate because he
took part in a plot to help the British capture the
Spanish colonies of Florida and Louisiana. Blount
later served as governor of Tennessee.
Spaight (1758-1802) was born in New Bern but
orphaned at age eight. Sent to Ireland to be edu¬
cated, he returned to North Carolina in 1778 and
quickly became active in the state militia. He left
the military in 1781 after being elected to the legis¬
lature. In the years after the Constitutional
Convention, Spaight would become North
Carolina's governor and a congressman. He suf¬
fered a fatal wound in a duel with John Stanly, a
political rival. His death shocked the state, and as
a result, the General Assembly outlawed dueling
in North Carolina. (See page 9 to learn more!)
Williamson (1735-1819) was born in
Pennsylvania. He entered the College of
Philadelphia at age sixteen and earned several
degrees. He became a licensed Presbyterian
preacher, a professor of mathematics, and a physi¬
cian following studies in England and Holland.
After witnessing the Boston Tea Party in 1773 on
his way back to Europe, Williamson warned mem¬
bers of the British government that the colonies
would rebel if the English did not change their
policies. In 1776 he returned to help support the
American colonies and eventually settled in North
Carolina. As surgeon general of the state's militia,
Williamson tended to American and British
troops. He prevented the spread of disease using
modern methods — carefully examining personal
hygiene, nutrition, clothing, and shelter. After the
Revolutionary War, he was elected to state office
before being chosen as a delegate to the
Constitutional Convention. There, he proved to be
a skilled speaker and an important and dedicated
participant, serving on five committees. He later
worked toward the Constitution's approval in
North Carolina. In 1793, after his public service
career, Williamson moved to New York City and
published many writings about politics, educa¬
tion, economics, history, and science.
I hope you'll continue to learn more about
important documents like the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution, and the
fascinating personalities and motivations of that
defining time. £3
To Find Out More
The National Constitution Center
http://constitutioncenter.org/
The National Archives: Charters of Freedom
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/
Independence National Historic Park
http://www.nps.gov/inde
The Avalon Project at Yale University
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/
The Declaration of Independence
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/
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