Benjamin Woods Labaree (July 21, 1927 – August 30, 2021[1]) was a leading historian of American colonial history and American maritime history. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut.
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The Making of the American Constitution - Judy Walton
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Boston Tea Party
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It is the spring of 1787. The Revolutionary War has been over for only six years, and the young United States is still struggling in its infancy. Uprisings, boundary disputes and the lack of a common vision all plague the newborn country. In an effort to steady this precarious ship, the Confederation Congress calls on states to send delegates to the grand Convention, to begin on May 14 in Philadelphia. The delegates must draft revisions to the Articles of Confederation, which would then be considered by the Congress and approved by the states. Under the terms of the Articles, all 13 states had to agree to any changes. Since the purpose of the Convention is just to make recommendations, not everyone is excited about attending, and frankly, some think it's a waste of time. As men from different parts of the country began to travel down dusty, rugged roads on the way to Philadelphia, not all states send delegates. In fact, Rhode Island never even shows up. On May 14th, only 8 delegates -- not states, but individual delegates -- are present, so they wait. Finally, on May 25th, the necessary quorum of seven states is acheived. In all, 55 delegates arrive in Philadelphia over the course of the Convention. They are all white males, property owners, and the average age is about 44. Some are slaveholders, some had signed the Declaration of Independence, [James Madison, Roger Sherman] and almost all are well-educated. [Benjamin Franklin] Picture the delegates, James Madison and George Washington among them, sitting in Independence Hall in hot, humid Philadelphia. They're all wearing the dress of the day: frock coats, high collars and thick pants. They vote to keep their discussions secret to encourage honest debate. But that means the windows are closed, and there is no air conditioning in 1787, not even an electric fan. and they'll sit in that sweltering heat, in those heavy clothes, for three months. Shockingly, they all keep their vow of secrecy. That could never happen today, not even for an hour-long meeting. Someone would share "James Madison thinks he's so smart. Keyword: articles are dead" via social media, and the whole thing would be a disaster. But in 1787, there are no leaks. Not even a drip that hints at what they are doing. And what they are doing is nothing short of overthrowing the very government that sent them there. Within a few days, with only a seven-state quorum, and only six of those states agreeing, a handful of men change the course of history. They vote to get rid of the Articles of Confederation, and write a new, more nationalistic document that becomes our Constitution. The risk is immense. Everyone on the outside assumes they were working on recommended revisions to the Articles. It's an incredible gamble, and even when the Convention presents the signed Constitution on September 17th, not all delegates endorse it. The country will argue and debate for two more years before the document is adopted by the required nine out of 13 states. But instead of punishing them for their deception, today we celebrate the wisdom and vision of those men in Philadelphia.
Early life and education
Son of the Yale University professor of history Leonard Woods Labaree and Elizabeth Mary Calkins, Benjamin Woods Labaree was raised in New Haven, Connecticut, and attended The Hotchkiss School. He earned his bachelor's degree at Yale University in 1950, after having served in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1945-46. After graduation from Yale, he went on to Harvard University, where he earned his master's degree in history in 1953 and his Ph.D. in history in 1957.[2]
Professional career
Labaree began his teaching career as an instructor in history at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire from 1950 until 1952 and then at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, in 1957-58.[3] In 1958, he received an appointment at Harvard University, rising from instructor to assistant professor of history and Allston Burr Senior Tutor. While serving in these appointments, he was also managing editor of the Essex Institute Historical Collections at the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, in 1956-60. In 1963, he was appointed dean of Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, serving in that role until 1967. Concurrently, he served as an associate professor, then professor of history, 1963–77 and later Ephraim Williams Professor of American History, 1972-77. Between 1977-1989, he was director of the Williams College-Mystic Seaport Program (commonly called Williams-Mystic) at Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, Connecticut, 1977–89; director, Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College, 1989–92; and professor of history and environmental studies, 1989–92. He retired from Williams College in 1992 as professor emeritus.[2]
Closely associated with Professor Robert G. Albion of Harvard University, Labaree succeeded him as Director of the Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History in 1974. His directorship of the Munson Institute culminated with being co-director of the National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Institute for college and university teachers on America and the Sea in 1996.[2]
After retirement from Williams, he was visiting professor at Trinity College (Connecticut) in 1993, Williams College in 1994, Clark University in 1997, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 1998.[2]
Awards
Labaree was honored with the Citation of Honor by the Society of Colonial Wars in 1978, The Wilbur Cross Award by the Connecticut Humanities Council in 1990, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award of the USS Constitution Museum in 1993, and a co-recipient of the John Lyman Book Award by the North American Society for Oceanic History in 1999.[2] Labaree House at Mystic Seaport Museum was named in his honor.
Published works
- Patriots and Partisans, 1962
- The Boston Tea Party, 1964, 1968
- New England and the Sea, by Robert G. Albion, William A. Baker and Benjamin W. Labaree. Marion V. Brewington, picture editor, 1972
- American Nation-Time: 1607-1789 1972, 1976
- The Atlantic world of Robert G. Albion, edited by Benjamin W. Labaree ; with chapters by William A. Baker ... [et al.] and a bibliography of the works of Robert G. Albion by Joan Bentick-Smith; drawings by William A. Baker, 1975.
- Patriots and partisans: the merchants of Newburyport, 1764-1815. 1975
- Empire or independence, 1760-1776: a British-American dialogue on the coming of the American Revolution, edited by Ian R. Christie and Benjamin W. Labaree, 1976
- Colonial Massachusetts: a history, 1979
- A supplement (1971–1986) to Robert G. Albion's Naval & Maritime history, an annotated bibliography, fourth edition, 1988
- America and the sea: a maritime history, by Benjamin W. Labaree, William M. Fowler, Jr., John B. Hattendorf, Edward W. Sloan, Jeffrey J. Safford, and Andrew German, 1998
References
- ^ The Passing of Ben Labaree
- ^ a b c d e "Benjamin Woods Labaree" in The Complete Marquis Who's Who Biographies. October 2, 2006.
- ^ "Benjamin Woods Labaree" in Contemporary Authors Online. Gale. March 23, 2001.
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This page was last edited on 20 July 2022, at 19:56