Answer: The experience of British rule affected the author of the Articles of Confederation in several ways. Here are some possible influences:
John Dickinson, the principal writer of the Articles of Confederation, was born in Maryland to a wealthy family of Quakers. He moved to England in 1753 to study law and returned to America in 1757. He witnessed the growing tensions between the colonists and the British government over issues such as taxation, representation, and trade. He became a prominent leader of the colonial resistance and wrote several influential pamphlets, such as Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, that argued for the rights and liberties of the colonists.
Dickinson was also a member of the Continental Congress, which was the governing body of the colonies during the Revolutionary War. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence, but he refused to sign it because he hoped for a peaceful reconciliation with Britain. He also served as a brigadier general in the Pennsylvania militia and fought against the British forces.
Dickinson was appointed as the chairperson of the committee that was tasked to prepare and digest the form of a confederation for the colonies in 1776. He drew on his legal knowledge and political experience to write the draft of the Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States. He named the new nation as “the United States of America” and proposed a federal system that balanced the powers between the national and state governments1.
Dickinson’s draft of the Articles of Confederation reflected his views on British rule and colonial rights. He wanted to create a union of states that would be strong enough to defend themselves against foreign enemies, but also respect the sovereignty and autonomy of each state1. He also wanted to ensure that the national government would not become tyrannical or oppressive like the British monarchy, so he limited its powers and gave more authority to the state legislatures.
Therefore, we can see that Dickinson’s experience of British rule influenced his writing of the Articles of Confederation in terms of his political ideology, his involvement in the colonial resistance, and his vision for a new nation.