In 1787, many Americans were convinced that the 'perpetual union' they had created in winning independence was collapsing. Six years earlier, in the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen state governments had surrendered extensive powers to a congress of delegates from each state legislature.

In this quote, Edmund Morgan highlights the political and structural challenges faced by the early United States in the years following its independence. By 1787, many Americans believed that the "perpetual union" they had fought for was on the verge of collapse. This sentiment was largely driven by the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation, which had created a loose framework for governance. Morgan points out that the Articles, adopted in 1781, granted significant power to individual state governments while establishing a weak central authority, leading to a lack of unity and effectiveness at the national level.

The Articles of Confederation were designed to maintain the sovereignty of the states, but this decentralized structure proved problematic. The state governments had surrendered certain powers to a congress made up of delegates from each state legislature, but this congress had limited authority and was unable to effectively manage national issues like defense, trade, and financial policy. The absence of a strong central government left the fledgling nation vulnerable and disjointed.

Morgan's observation underscores the realization among many that the union created by the American Revolution was not functioning as intended. The difficulty in governing the states under the Articles led to widespread calls for reform, culminating in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. This new framework sought to strike a balance between the authority of the federal government and the autonomy of the states, addressing many of the weaknesses inherent in the Articles.

Ultimately, Morgan’s quote reflects a critical moment in American history when the unity of the nation was in jeopardy. It highlights the necessity of reforming the government to create a more effective and cohesive structure, which led to the establishment of the Constitution—a document that would strengthen the union and provide the framework for the country’s future stability and growth.