Stony Ridge Convention
Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Located at this site, James Bell's tavern was a meeting place for Anti-Federalists. Members of the Anti-Federalist movement from the Cumberland frontier, led by Robert Whitehill, met in 1788 to oppose the US Constitution, because it lacked guarantees for individual liberties and states' rights. They demanded amendments. This meeting is linked to the adoption of the Bill of Rights and the founding of the Democratic-Republican Party.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
At James Bell's tavern on this ground, Anti-Federalists from the Cumberland frontier gathered in 1788 under the leadership of Robert Whitehill to voice their opposition to the newly drafted U.S. Constitution. They objected that it lacked protections for individual liberties and the rights of the states, and they pressed for amendments. Their demands are tied to the eventual adoption of the Bill of Rights and to the rise of the Democratic-Republican Party.
Why it matters
This frontier gathering is a reminder that the Bill of Rights was won by insistent grassroots pressure, and that the young republic's political parties grew out of exactly such fights over liberty and power.
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Related people
- · Robert Whitehill
- · James Bell
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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