Why I Wrote It: Robert Morris

_{**Why I wrote it is a series in which I explain interesting things about the topic I chose or why it matters that people know this history. Please see the story being referenced here.}

Robert Morris is an interesting figure in American history. He was one of the wealthiest colonists prior to the Revolution, only to find himself in debtors prison by 1798. If not for his contributions during the Revolution, he might be remembered as another successful businessman who lost everything. But the Revolution did happen, and Morris played an integral role.

I knew very little about Morris, yet his role was quite important to the cause. This lack of knowledge is why I initially wanted to write about him. I don’t know about you, but I love discovering gaps in my history knowledge. It is fascinating to go back and read about an individual that I somehow always overlooked. It didn’t hurt that his story was captivating. The financing of the Revolution relied heavily on this one man and his reputation. Essentially he acted as the personal guarantor for loans to a nation. That’s unfathomable in today’s world. Don’t get me wrong, I understand he made money on all these deals, but honestly, good for him because he was that necessary.

I still look for something beyond the story’s entertainment value when writing or studying history. It is something you’ll see me say over and over. For this story, I think it was relatively easy to identify its importance in today’s world. The story of Robert Morris and the Revolution is the story of the beginnings of the nation’s banking and financial services industries. It also shows why our country has a long history of aversion to a central bank. Even now, the battle over the Federal Reserve continues.

Robert Morris may have been part of the Continental Congress and on secret financing committees. But he acted as a lone figure using his private ventures to help facilitate all transactions. Even the banks he created for the country had limited power and influence. Robert Morris inadvertently set up our banking and finance sector as a privately run industry. This setup is critical to understand because it explains the precedent set at the country’s creation. Fighting precedent is an arduous task. The proof of this is the fact that it took over 100 years for a central bank to become a permanent fixture in America.

Also, unrelated to the significance of the topic. It would be fun to see Paul Giamatti play Robert Morris in a miniseries. He nailed it as John Adams, so let’s give him another go.