Essay Example on Hugh Williamson: Founding Father of the USA

Hugh Williamson, born on 5th December 1735 is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America (Finkelman 2). He was a politician and an American Patriot, best remembered as a signatory to the United States Constitution. He represented the country at the Constitutional Convention and served as a Representative and a Delegate from North Carolina. According to Murdin (2343), Williamson's contribution and participation in national affairs touched many lives beyond the 18th century. Finkelman (23) argued that his participation and engagement in three different regions of the country led to significant developments that gave him a nationalistic image that stretched beyond the borders of North Carolina constituency. Shaffer (4) maintained that his regional engagement fortified his resolve for a central government that could foster and protect the intellectual, economic, and political future of the United States. Hugh Williamson was an active and robust debater; he was a leading intellectual during and after Revolutionary America and played a crucial role in shaping the country's political framework.

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Williamson was born in a devout Presbyterian family. Due to poor health, he was not allowed to partake in the family business and was enrolled in a private academy to pursue liberal arts. He later joined the College of Philadelphia (Currently known as The University of Pennsylvania) where he studied mathematics and also taught English and Latin. He graduated in 1757 (Murdin 2344). He was licensed to preach but later resigned due to poor health and arising disputes with some clergy. He taught mathematics in the same college before joining Edinburgh to study Medicine. He graduated in 1760 having earned a Master's degree in medicine (Finkelman 25). While still teaching, he pursued doctoral studies. His love for education led him to pursue further studies at Utrecht University for an M.D.

Upon returning to Philadelphia, in 1773, Williamson took great interest in scholarly works. He practiced medicine too. He would later be installed into the American Philosophical Society where he studied natural philosophy with great focus on practical knowledge (Shaffer 24). Regardless of being a physician, Williamson took to writing on various topics and fields that included astronomy, marine biology, and climatology. The "Attempt to Account for the Change of Climate" remains one of his most exceptional scientific articles. Murdin (2344) argued that despite being the work of an unprofessional, his writing exposed an intellectual with a strong attention on scientific methods and logic. He was widely acclaimed as a scholar beyond America.

Williamson's extensive traveling exposed him to the Tea Party events. After one of such events in Boston, Williamson traveled to England where the English Privy Council asked him more on the tea party (Finkelman 25). While still in England, he wrote Lord Mansfield a letter in which he expounded on the complaints of the colonies. The letter titled, "The Plea of the Colonies on the Charges Brought Against Them by Lord Mansfield, and Others, In a Letter to his Lordship," stood out as a masterpiece of American Uprising (Finkelman 26).

During the revolution, he left for the Netherlands and tried to help in the war. However, Shaffer (54) stated that his services as medical personnel were not required, and so he continued with his medicinal services within Philadelphia. However, British engagements in the region drove him and many others out. He relocated to Charleston where he worked as a merchant. According to Murdin (2344) British insurgence drove him further to Edenton, Northern Carolina where he stayed and worked as a physician, shipbuilder, and tanner. By then, Williamson was already a renowned figure within American social and political fields (Finkelman 31). In North Carolina, he caught the attention of the Governor, Richard Caswell who placed him in the medical expertise service provider. According to Shaffer (13), he earned the title "State's Surgeon General" due to his impeccable services.

Edenton later elected Williamson to the General Assembly in 1782. He then joined the Continental Congress specializing on significant concerns of the affairs of North Carolina. After three terms as a Congressman (1782,-1785, and later 1788), he got back to Edenton where he was voted to the General Assembly (Shaffer 34). As a delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention, Williamson gave over seventy speeches with a keen interest in questions touching on the economy, slave trade, and state debts. According to Finkelman (41) through the questions, Williamson made significant contributions to the country's laws. He notably proposed the stipulated six-year-old terms currently in the Constitution. His opinions concerning the process of impeaching the president had a significant impact on the resulting outcome of the deliberations (Murdin 2344). However, Shaffer (15) stated that his contributions led to significant developments in the country's legal debates. He later wrote numerous articles supporting the country's new Constitution. During the Annapolis Convention, he helped suggest various trade and economic issues that affected business and commercial activities, especially in the Atlantic states. He was a member of numerous learned societies, wrote extensive research topics, and contributed to multiple charities (Finkelman 67). He became very active in economic issues as House of Representative of North Carolina. In 1789, he married Maria Apthorpe. At the time he was 54 years old (Shaffer 43). According to Shaffer (43), they were blessed with two sons who later died at very young ages

Due to his wife's death, he never took part in reelection. He retired from active politics and moved to New York where he concentrated on scholarly issues. During his stay in New York after leaving Congress, he drafted various scholarly articles such as the commanding past years of North Carolina. Williamson Hugh died in 1819. He was buried at Trinity Church Cemetery in New York (Murdin 2344).

Hugh Williamson's career is a clear picture of the baselessness that depicted the many lives of U.S. citizens. His lived spanned many regions and undoubtedly led to numerous developments throughout the country, an outlook that was fortified by the wars, military engagements, and trade activities during the time. His interests, passion, and intellectual mind helped form his political journey in North Carolina. Through his experiences; he was convinced of a stable central government that had the will and passion for strengthening the intellectual, economic, and political framework of the entire country.

Works Cited

Finkelman, Paul. "Making a Covenant with Death: Slavery and the Constitutional Convention." Slavery and the Founders. Routledge, 2014, 15-57. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315720869. Accessed 25th September, 2019.

Murdin, Paul. "Williamson, Hugh." Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers, 2014, 2343-234, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9917-7. Accessed 25th September, 2019.

Shaffer, Arthur H. The Politics of History: Writing the History of the American Revolution, 1783-1815. Routledge, 2017.