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Pierce Butler
Pie4rce Butler was considered a founding father of the United States. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and he signed the US Constitution. He also served during the Revolutionary War an was elected to the United States Senate.
Butler was born in Ireland in 1744. His father would buy him a spot in the British Army in 1767. That same year he was sent to the colonies in British America. By 1772, he was listed as a Major and was one of the men put in charge to try to suppress the growing colonial resistance in America.
In 1771, he had married Mary Middleton. She was the daughter of Thomas Middleton who was a wealthy slave importer from South Carolina. Butler would earn land and slaves plus a fortune with this marriage. Now, the Middleton family were mostly patriots who believed in the patriot cause and Butler was still a Major in the British Army. By 1773, Butler had begun to understand the patriot cause and left the British Army.
By 1779, Butler had become one of the biggest land owners in South Carolina and one of the biggest slave owners in America. Butler would offer his services to the continental army in 1779 but had fallen into poor health so was unable to be put into action. However, South Carolina governor, John Rutledge couldn't overlook the fact that Butler served in the British Army and was familiar with their fighting and war techniques. Butler was placed as a brigadier general, even though he was still referred to as Major, in the Continental Army.
Butler's main priority in the army was reorganizing the South Carolina militia. At the time, the British Army had hit a stalemate in the northern colonies so they set their sites on the southern colonies starting with Georgia. Butler would accompany General Lachlen McIntosh to Savannah, Ga to fight off the British Army but were overpowered and forced o retreat with Savannah falling into British hands. After Savannah, he would join up with Generals Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion for the defense of Charleston, Sc. Again, British forces were to strong and Charleston was taken over by the British. It wasn't till Butler joined up with General Nathaniel Greene that he started o see victories. Under Greene, the continental army was able to push the British Army out of South Carolina into North Carolina and then on up into Virginia where George Washington was waiting in Yorktown. The British surrendered and the Revolutionary War had come to an end.
After the war, Butler returned home to find his farm and land destroyed by the British and learned that he had lost his contacts in Europe for his slave trade so he was left poor. Butler would then travel to Europe to get new loans and new contacts to restart his business. After 3 years in Europe, Butler returned to America where he had started his business back. He also started to speak out that we should reconcile with the loyalists in the area and that there should be more representation for the people living in the back country. It was for these reasons that South Carolina sent Butler to Philadelphia as one of its delegates during the Continental Congress during 1787.
While in Philadelphia, Butler would oversee the drafting of the US Constitution. He would introduce a bill called the Fugitive Slave Clause. This would protect all slave owners in the colonies. At the time, most northern colonies had abolished slavery but southern colonies were still using it causing a southern and northern split. It allowed states in south to still practice slavery for at least the next 20 years without the government stepping in. It also said that any slave that escaped to a northern state, if captured, should be return to its owner. Those 2 parts were passed and added to the Constitution. Butler also said that every slave should count as one person when it came to the apportionment of Congress. Many northern delegates argued that you can not count slaves as non citizens until it came time to apportion the seats of government and then return them to non citizens after. A compromise was reached that slaves would count for two thirds instead of all. Shortly after, Butler was one of 39 men to sign the US Constitution.
Butler would go on to be one of the wealthiest men in America and own land in many different states. As a land owner in Georgia, he was allowed to serve in Georgia state politics. He would be elected three straight times to serve as a United States Senator from Georgia. Pierce Butler would pass away at the age of 77 in Philadelphia, Pa. He is buried there in the Christ Church Burial Ground.
Pierce Butler
Pie4rce Butler was considered a founding father of the United States. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and he signed the US Constitution. He also served during the Revolutionary War an was elected to the United States Senate.
Butler was born in Ireland in 1744. His father would buy him a spot in the British Army in 1767. That same year he was sent to the colonies in British America. By 1772, he was listed as a Major and was one of the men put in charge to try to suppress the growing colonial resistance in America.
In 1771, he had married Mary Middleton. She was the daughter of Thomas Middleton who was a wealthy slave importer from South Carolina. Butler would earn land and slaves plus a fortune with this marriage. Now, the Middleton family were mostly patriots who believed in the patriot cause and Butler was still a Major in the British Army. By 1773, Butler had begun to understand the patriot cause and left the British Army.
By 1779, Butler had become one of the biggest land owners in South Carolina and one of the biggest slave owners in America. Butler would offer his services to the continental army in 1779 but had fallen into poor health so was unable to be put into action. However, South Carolina governor, John Rutledge couldn't overlook the fact that Butler served in the British Army and was familiar with their fighting and war techniques. Butler was placed as a brigadier general, even though he was still referred to as Major, in the Continental Army.
Butler's main priority in the army was reorganizing the South Carolina militia. At the time, the British Army had hit a stalemate in the northern colonies so they set their sites on the southern colonies starting with Georgia. Butler would accompany General Lachlen McIntosh to Savannah, Ga to fight off the British Army but were overpowered and forced o retreat with Savannah falling into British hands. After Savannah, he would join up with Generals Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion for the defense of Charleston, Sc. Again, British forces were to strong and Charleston was taken over by the British. It wasn't till Butler joined up with General Nathaniel Greene that he started o see victories. Under Greene, the continental army was able to push the British Army out of South Carolina into North Carolina and then on up into Virginia where George Washington was waiting in Yorktown. The British surrendered and the Revolutionary War had come to an end.
After the war, Butler returned home to find his farm and land destroyed by the British and learned that he had lost his contacts in Europe for his slave trade so he was left poor. Butler would then travel to Europe to get new loans and new contacts to restart his business. After 3 years in Europe, Butler returned to America where he had started his business back. He also started to speak out that we should reconcile with the loyalists in the area and that there should be more representation for the people living in the back country. It was for these reasons that South Carolina sent Butler to Philadelphia as one of its delegates during the Continental Congress during 1787.
While in Philadelphia, Butler would oversee the drafting of the US Constitution. He would introduce a bill called the Fugitive Slave Clause. This would protect all slave owners in the colonies. At the time, most northern colonies had abolished slavery but southern colonies were still using it causing a southern and northern split. It allowed states in south to still practice slavery for at least the next 20 years without the government stepping in. It also said that any slave that escaped to a northern state, if captured, should be return to its owner. Those 2 parts were passed and added to the Constitution. Butler also said that every slave should count as one person when it came to the apportionment of Congress. Many northern delegates argued that you can not count slaves as non citizens until it came time to apportion the seats of government and then return them to non citizens after. A compromise was reached that slaves would count for two thirds instead of all. Shortly after, Butler was one of 39 men to sign the US Constitution.
Butler would go on to be one of the wealthiest men in America and own land in many different states. As a land owner in Georgia, he was allowed to serve in Georgia state politics. He would be elected three straight times to serve as a United States Senator from Georgia. Pierce Butler would pass away at the age of 77 in Philadelphia, Pa. He is buried there in the Christ Church Burial Ground.