Blog Post  Bowdoin's Role in the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 and the U.S. Constitution of 1787

Most Americans can name John Adams, Samuel Adams, or John Hancock when it comes to the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780. But James Bowdoin II—a wealthy merchant, scientist, and statesman—was just as central to the story, even if history books often relegate him to the background. A friend of Benjamin Franklin and a leading figure in the scientific circles of his day, Bowdoin brought Enlightenment ideals into the political debates of Revolutionary Massachusetts.¹

The scientist who turned to politics

From studying the stars to guiding a state.

Before he became a political leader, Bowdoin spent much of his time studying the stars. He corresponded with Benjamin Franklin about physics and astronomy, and he poured his wealth into books, experiments, and civic projects. But science alone couldn’t shield him from the turmoil of revolution. By the late 1770s, Massachusetts needed a permanent constitution. Who better to help than a man steeped in Enlightenment thinking, someone who believed in structure, balance, and reason?²

The Cambridge Convention of 1779

Three men in a room, shaping a constitution that would last.

On September 1, 1779, delegates gathered in Cambridge for a constitutional convention. The air was tense—Massachusetts had just fought its way through the early years of revolution, and now it had to prove it could govern itself. Rising from his sick bed, debilitated by tuberculosis, Bowdoin returned to public life and was elected president of the convention.³ From that position, he shaped the drafting process. A large committee of thirty was appointed, but Bowdoin quickly saw the need for a smaller, more effective group. He appointed himself, John Adams, and Samuel Adams as a three-man subcommittee. ⁴

Imagine the three of them at work: Bowdoin the steady hand, Samuel Adams the fiery populist, and John Adams—newly returned from France—scribbling furiously, shaping words that would last centuries. The Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 emerged from their efforts, establishing separation of powers and a declaration of rights. It became a model not only for other states, but eventually for the U.S. Constitution itself.⁵

Shays’ Rebellion: Crisis in the Commonwealth

Farmers rise up, a governor scrambles, and the nation takes note.

A few years later, Bowdoin was governor when Massachusetts was rocked by Shays’ Rebellion (1786–1787).⁶ Farmers in western Massachusetts, crushed by debt and taxes, rose up against the state government. To the rebels, Bowdoin was the face of oppression. To Bowdoin, the uprising was proof that the Articles of Confederation were fatally weak.⁷

He scrambled to raise funds and troops, often turning to private donors since the federal government had little power to help. The rebellion was eventually put down, but the lesson was clear: without a stronger national government, chaos loomed. Bowdoin’s struggles added fuel to the fire that would ignite the Constitutional Convention of 1787.⁸

A dinner that changed history

No majority, no Constitution—until Bowdoin set the table.

By the time the U.S. Constitution was ready for ratification, Massachusetts was deeply divided. Federalists like Bowdoin pushed for adoption, convinced it was the only way to secure stability. But Anti-Federalists, led by Samuel Adams, feared it handed too much authority to a distant central government.⁹

The Massachusetts ratifying convention was razor-close. Federalists didn’t have the votes. And without Massachusetts—one of the largest and most influential states—the entire Constitution might falter. Bowdoin understood the stakes. So he did something practical: he invited key delegates, including his old rival Samuel Adams, to dinner. Over food and conversation, he and other Federalists pressed their case. Slowly, Adams began to shift. Once Adams threw his support behind the Constitution, Massachusetts voted narrowly in favor of ratification, giving the Federalists the majority they needed.¹⁰

The contradictions of James Bowdoin

A man of Enlightenment ideals—and troubling realities.

Bowdoin’s story isn’t all triumph. Like many men of his era, he was a bundle of contradictions. He was a man of science and reason, yet he owned slaves. He promoted Enlightenment ideals, yet his landholdings along Maine’s Kennebunk River helped drive out the Wabanaki people.¹¹

At the same time, he poured his energy into building civic institutions. He was the first president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1780), the first president of the Massachusetts Bank (1784), and the first president of the Massachusetts Humane Society (1786).¹² He believed deeply in using wealth and knowledge for public good—even as his private actions reflected the injustices of his age.

Why remember Bowdoin?

The forgotten figure who tipped the balance in America’s founding.

James Bowdoin II will never be as famous as John Adams or Samuel Adams. Yet without him, Massachusetts’ constitution might not have been drafted in the same form, Shays’ Rebellion might not have highlighted the need for a stronger federal system, and the U.S. Constitution might have struggled to secure ratification in Massachusetts. His life reminds us that history is messy. It’s written not just by towering figures but by complicated people working in the margins—people like James Bowdoin II, who helped build the framework of American government, even if his name has since faded into the background.¹³

Tomorrow on the Massachusetts Law Libraries’ Blog: “Celebrating Constitution Day with Books!”.

Authored by Martha Krueger, Barnstable Law Library.

Footnotes

1. Gordon E. Kershaw, James Bowdoin II: Patriot and Man of the Enlightenment, The President and Trustees of Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, 1976, accessed September 17, 2025.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Samuel Eliot Morison, A History of the Constitution of Massachusetts, accessed September 17, 2025.
5. Ibid.; Kershaw, James Bowdoin II: Patriot and Man of the Enlightenment.
6. Daniel Bullen, “Aug. 29, 1786: Shays’ Rebellion,” Zinn Education Project, accessed September 17, 2025.
7. Bob Potenza, “James Bowdoin II: A Man of Science and Power,” West End Museum, accessed September 17, 2025.
8. Ibid.
9. Wikipedia, James Bowdoin, accessed September 17, 2025.
10. Massachusetts Historical Society, The Massachusetts Ratifying Convention, 1788.
11. Kershaw, James Bowdoin II: Patriot and Man of the Enlightenment.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.