Political Cartoon #2 - "Rise It Will"

1. Interpret the cartoon. What historical event/issue is being represented?
From 1787-1788, a series of prints were published to show which states had or had not yet ratified the Constitution. The third and final print, "Rise It Will" was published in the Massachusetts Centinel on August 2, 1788. This cartoon depicts thirteen columns which represent the thirteen original states of America. Inscribed on the first eleven columns are the names of the states in the order that they ratified the Constitution. The first state was Delaware in 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virgina, and New York. The "erection of the Eleventh Pillar" refers to the ratification of the Constitution by New York on July 26, 1788. The issue portrayed in this cartoon, shows that North Carolina and Rhode Island have not yet joined the other eleven states in ratifying the Constitution. The title "Rise It Will" addresses the belief that all thirteen federal state pillars will soon rise together. The poem below the pillars speaks of eleven stars and eleven columns under a dome, this refers to the eleven states which had ratified the Constitution by 1788. Reference to a dome, is the Dome of the Constituion and the Nation which the pillars, representaing the states, support. The poem belows tells how this is a return of the "Saturnian Age" brings a time of freedom, wisdom, religion, justice, law, and peace. The "Saturnian Age" refers to Greece and Rome, the birthplace of the first representative governments.

2. What is the message that the cartoonist is trying to convey? Which side of the issue does he support?
In the year of 1788, the United States, are still waiting for ratification of the Constitution by North Carolina and Rhode Island. This cartoon predicts that North Carolina will soon join the other states in ratifying the Constitution. This is portrayed by a hand erecting the North Carolina pillar along side the other eleven. To the right of the North Carolina pillar is the crumbling pillar of Rhode Island. Next to this pillar reads, "The Foundation good - it may yet be Saved." This means that even though Rhode Island is "crumbling" there is still a chance that this last thirteenth state will ratify the Constitution. Rhode Island was last to ratify because it was disrupted by anti-federalist sympathies and had been content under the Articles of Conferderation. The cartoonist supports the ratification of the Constitution and has a very optimistic outlook for the future of an American federal government.

3. What effect(s) did this cartoon have on American History? What were the results of this issue being addressed?
This cartoon was correct in predicting that North Carolina would soon ratify the Constitution; on November 21, 1789, North Carolina joined the other elven states under the Constitution. Now only Rhode Island was left, still torn by anti-federalist sympathies it would be another year, till it ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790. In total it took three years for all states to ratify the Constitution. Drafted by twelve states, the Constitution went into effect in March of 1789 before ratification of althirteen states. This was because delegates at the Constitutional Convention felt that ratification of nine states, would be sufficient enough to put the Constitution into effect. In reality, if all states had not ratified the Constitution, the young United States of America would have had a hard time unifying and enforcing the laws of the Constitution.