George read delaware biography of michael
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Jonathan Russ, assistant professor of history
4:33 p.m., Sept. 27, 2007--In insamling of Constitution Day, Jonathan Russ, assistant professor of history at UD, gave a lecture on the life of founding father George Read and his role in the creation of the U.S. Constitution in the North Lounge of George Read ingång on Sunday evening, Sept. 23.
“George Read stands out for his singular accomplishments in his service to Delaware and the United States. Lawyer, patriot, statesmen; Read was one of only six men to sign both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution,” Russ said.
Russ went on to talk about how Read had an incredibly strong connection to UD, one that began “at the age of 10, when in 1743, he came to the Rev. Francis Alison's newly opened academy to which the University of Delaware traces its roots.” That distinguished class also included Thomas McKean and James Smith, who went on to
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Read, George
READ, GEORGE. (1733–1798). Lawyer, Signer, acting president of Delaware. Born in Cecil County, Maryland, on 18 September 1733, Read studied law in Philadelphia; was admitted to the bar in 1753; and settled in New Castle, Delaware. In 1763 he was elected attorney general of Delaware, holding this post for the next decade. Read's politics matched those of his close friend, John Dickinson. He was active in resisting British authority, being a leader of his province's committees of correspondence. In the Continental Congress from 1774 until September 1777, he opposed independence but became a Signer and enthusiastic supporter of the Declaration of Independence once it was adopted. He played a prominent part in shaping the state constitution and in 1776 became vice president of Delaware. When President John McKinly was captured by the British at Wilmington in September 1777, Read left Philadelphia to take over his duties and performed them until being relieved, at his ow
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The Call for a Grand Convention
On May 15, 1776, the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, issued “A Resolve” to the thirteen colonies: “Adopt such a government as shall, in the opinion of the representatives of the people, best conduce to the safety and happiness of their constituents in particular and America in general.” Between 1776 and 1780 each of the thirteen colonies adopted a republican form of government. What emerged was the most extensive documentation of the powers of government and the rights of the people that the world had ever witnessed.
These state constitutions displayed a remarkable uniformity. Seven attached a prefatory Declaration of Rights, and all contained the same civil and criminal rights. Four states decided not to “prefix” a Bill of Rights to their constitutions, but, instead, incorporated the very same natural and traditional rights found in the prefatory declarations. New York