More to Explore
People and Groups
Themes
Events
Related Topics
This Day in History
Feb 9
American Revolution
Future New Jersey governor is promoted, 1776
Future New Jersey Governor Joseph Bloomfield becomes captain of the third New Jersey Regiment of Foot in the Continental Army on this day in 1776.…
Recommended Articles
-
Benjamin Franklin
One of the most renowned figures in American history, Benjamin Franklin was a statesman, publisher, author, scientist, inventor and diplomat.
-
Founding Fathers
the most prominent statesmen of America's Revolutionary generation, responsible for the successful war for colonial independence from Great Britain, the liberal ideas celebrated in the Declaration of Independence, and the republican form of government defined in the United States Constitution.
-
Sir James Craig
(born 1748, Gibraltar—died January 12, 1812, London, England) British soldier in the American Revolutionary War who later served as governor-general of Canada (1807–11) and was charged by French-Canadians with conducting a “reign of terror” in Quebec.
-
William Legge, 2nd earl of Dartmouth
(born June 20, 1731—died July 15, 1801, Blackheath, Kent, England) British statesman who played a significant role in the events leading to the American Revolution.
(Born Jan. 31, 1734, Liverpool, Merseyside, Eng.—died May 8, 1806, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.) American merchant and banker who came to be known as the financier of the American Revolution (1775–83).
Morris left England to join his father in Maryland in 1747 and then entered a mercantile house in Philadelphia. During the war, Morris was vice president of the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety (1775–76) and was a member of both the Continental Congress (1775–78) and the Pennsylvania legislature (1778–79, 1780–81, 1785–86). Because he was hoping for reconciliation with Britain, he did not sign the Declaration of Independence until several weeks after its adoption.
As chairman or member of various committees of the Continental Congress, Morris practically controlled the financial operations of the war from 1776 to 1778. He raised the funds that made it possible for Gen. George Washington to move his army from the New York area to Yorktown, where Lord Cornwallis surrendered (1781). Morris had borrowed from the French, requisitioned from the states, and also advanced money from his own pocket. That same year, in Philadelphia, Morris established the Bank of North America. After the war he served as superintendent of finance under the Articles of Confederation (1781–84) and then as a member of the Pennsylvania state assembly. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention (1787) and served in the U.S. Senate (1789–95). Meanwhile, he had disposed of his mercantile and banking investments and had plunged heavily into land speculation. When returns from his lands slowed, he fell into bankruptcy and was confined in a debtors' prison for more than three years before his release in 1801.
Copyright © 1994-2011 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. For more information visit Britannica.com.
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
Shop HISTORY
-
-
The Art of War DVD & Book Set
Illustrates in micro-detail how Sun Tzu's principles helped tip the scales in history's most important battles
-
Email Updates
Keep up with the latest History shows, online features, special offers and more.
Sign upClassroom Study Guides
-
Thomas Jefferson Teacher's Guide (PDF)
Jefferson is an insightful 2-hour presentation on HISTORY which examines his many identities and asks viewers to answer for themselves: who was the real Thomas Jefferson, and what is his most lasting legacy in our world today?
