Merrill Jensen
Encyclopedia
Merrill Monroe Jensen was an American historian whose research and writing focused on the ratification of the United States Constitution
. His historical interpretations are generally considered to be of the "Progressive School" of American history, the most famous exponent of which was Charles A. Beard
. Jensen served as a professor of history at both the University of Washington
(1935–1944), where he was editor of Pacific Northwest Quarterly
, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
(1944–1976).
Born in Elkhorn, Iowa, Jensen took a job as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in South Dakota upon graduating from high school. In 1929, he earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Washington. He completed a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1934. Except for a short stint as a historian for the Army Air Corps
in 1944, his career was spent at his undergraduate and graduate alma maters. He was named to a limited-term appointment as Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford University in 1949.
He and his wife, Genevieve Margaret Privet, had one daughter. He died in Madison, Wisconsin
, on January 30, 1980.
His early scholarship challenged the "consensus" interpretation of the Constitutional ratification process, arguing that the Articles of Confederation
were a better expression of genuine democratic values than was the Constitution. The replacement of the Articles with the Constitution, Jensen argued, created a system of government that minimized the influence of radical democracy rooted in local politics. From his reading of the documentary evidence, he identified deep ideological conflicts among Americans at the time of the ratificaton. His later scholarship focused heavily on primary documents themselves, and he edited a number of substantial document collections, including the Documentary History of the First Federal Elections, 1788-1790 (launched in 1976 and completed in 1989 by his students Robert A. Becker and Gordon denBoer) and the Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, 1787-1791, (launched in 1976 and as of 1 January 2010 filling 21 of a projected 31 volumes).
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. His historical interpretations are generally considered to be of the "Progressive School" of American history, the most famous exponent of which was Charles A. Beard
Charles A. Beard
Charles Austin Beard was, with Frederick Jackson Turner, one of the most influential American historians of the first half of the 20th century. He published hundreds of monographs, textbooks and interpretive studies in both history and political science...
. Jensen served as a professor of history at both the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
(1935–1944), where he was editor of Pacific Northwest Quarterly
Pacific Northwest Quarterly
Pacific Northwest Quarterly is a peer-reviewed academic journal of history that publishes scholarship relating to the Pacific Northwest of the United States, including Alaska, and adjacent areas of western Canada. Founded in 1906 by Edmond S...
, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
(1944–1976).
Born in Elkhorn, Iowa, Jensen took a job as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in South Dakota upon graduating from high school. In 1929, he earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Washington. He completed a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1934. Except for a short stint as a historian for the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in 1944, his career was spent at his undergraduate and graduate alma maters. He was named to a limited-term appointment as Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford University in 1949.
He and his wife, Genevieve Margaret Privet, had one daughter. He died in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, on January 30, 1980.
His early scholarship challenged the "consensus" interpretation of the Constitutional ratification process, arguing that the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement among the 13 founding states that legally established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first constitution...
were a better expression of genuine democratic values than was the Constitution. The replacement of the Articles with the Constitution, Jensen argued, created a system of government that minimized the influence of radical democracy rooted in local politics. From his reading of the documentary evidence, he identified deep ideological conflicts among Americans at the time of the ratificaton. His later scholarship focused heavily on primary documents themselves, and he edited a number of substantial document collections, including the Documentary History of the First Federal Elections, 1788-1790 (launched in 1976 and completed in 1989 by his students Robert A. Becker and Gordon denBoer) and the Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, 1787-1791, (launched in 1976 and as of 1 January 2010 filling 21 of a projected 31 volumes).
Books authored
- The Articles of Confederaton: An Interpretation of the Social-Constitutional History of the American Revolution, 1774-1781 (1940)
- The New Nation: A History of the United States during the Confederation, 1781-1789 (1950)
- Founding of a Nation: A History of the American Revolution, 1763-1776 (1968)
- The American Revolution within America (1974)
Works edited
- Regionalism in America (1951)
- English Historical DocumentsEnglish Historical DocumentsEnglish Historical Documents is a standard series of publications of source material on English history by the academic publisher Eyre and Spottiswoode, now part of Oxford University Press; some later vols. are published by Routledge The general editor is David C. Douglas, professor of history...
, Volume IX, American Colonial Documents to 1776 (1955) - The Making of the American Constitution (1964)
- Tracts of the American Revolution, 1763-1776 (1967)
- The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections, Volume I, 1788-1790 (1976), edited with Robert A. Becker.
- The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, Volume I: Constitutional Documents and Records, 1776-1787 (1976), edited with John P. Kaminski and Gaspare J. Saladino.
- The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, Volume II: Ratification by the States: Pennsylvania (1976), edited with John P. Kaminski and Gaspare J. Saladino.