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How you or I choose to fill in the blank
我们可以选择在此带入任何主语
for the subject or Anuit Coapthes was left open.
也就是说Auit Coapthes的含义是开放的
It ultimately depends on ones' personal
它最终取决于不同的人个人的信仰
belief system. The great seal's designer,
这个国玺的设计者
Charles Thomson, explained his work
查尔斯汤姆森是这样解释
in these words, quote 'the pyramid signifies
他的作品的"金字塔象征了
strength and duration, the eye over it and
力量与持久，其上的眼睛以及
the motto alludes to the many signal interpretations
这句格言则暗含了一种非常有代表性的
of providence in favor of the American cause'.
理论，那就是美国的成立顺应了天意"
There are many complicated interpretations
当然对于国玺上的图案的理解
of these symbols on the great seal;
还有很多更加复杂的内容
they don't concern us here because it tends
但这不是我们的关注点，因为它更主要的
more towards the argument of religion and
是想要阐述宗教和社会的关系
society, religion and the state in the United States.
以及宗教与美国政府的关系
It's simplest to say for our purposes that
从我们此刻的出发点来说
the Americans were deeply and rightly aware of
就是美国人深知自己赢得这场战争
how surprising their victory had been and they
是多么令人出乎意料，因此他们也
felt very grateful, whoever they were grateful to.
心怀感激，对一切他们应该感激的对象
They certainly wanted to build upon their
他们当然也希望在开国之初能够
nation's beginnings as best they could but
尽力实现最好的发展，但是这个国家
could the new nation come up with an effective
能否建立起这样一个有效的政府
government which reflected its lofty ideals?
把这些崇高的理想付诸实现呢?
The articles of confederation were adopted by the continental congress in 1777.
1777年，大陆会议通过了《十三州邦联宪法》
They came into effect in 1781.
该宪法在1781年正式生效
They strongly favored states rights as
它强有力地为州立权力提供了法律保障
one might expect from colonies that had revolted
因为我们知道这些前殖民地有过
against a strong central government, yet
受制于强大的中央政府集权统治的经历
a strong central government was necessary
但一个强大的中央政府从很多方面来说
for many reasons, especially for internal settlement
也是由存在必要的，尤其是在国内结算
and for conducting foreign affairs.
以及外交事宜的组织之上
Winning the revolution was quite an achievement
赢得美国大革命的确是一次壮举
but this was neither the first nor the last revolution
但这不是第一次，也不会是最后一次
to be won by a determined splinter group.
由分离出来的小党派赢得的战争
A tougher task lay ahead and an even greater
在他们的面前还有更严峻和考验和
miracle was to take place; the creation of
更伟大的奇迹将要发生，那就是
the United States of America. Most issues
美利坚合众国的诞生，在制宪会议以前
before the constitutional convention could be
大部分事件和争端都是依靠常识
settled through common sense. Paper money
得到解决的，政府将印发统一纸币
would be issued, a post office established and
并建立完善的邮政系统，路上以及
an army and navy maintained. Less sensibly
海上军队，当然也有不明智的政策
women were granted no citizenship rights which
比如女性不享有公民身份--
was unbelievably unfair. There were other
这是极度不公平的，以及其他一些
problematic issues; large and heavily populated
麻烦的问题，土地辽阔人口密集的州
states like Virginia argued for proportional
比如弗吉尼亚州就希望争取在国会中
representation the bigger you were
实行比例代表制，也就是州越大
the more representation you got.
在国会中的代表席位越多
Smaller states wanted equal representation.
而相对较小的州则倾向于平等代表权
Finally it was decided to have proportional
最后，人们想出了一个解决办法
representation in the lower house of congress,
在国会中的下议院，也就是众议院
the House of Representatives, and equal
实行比例代表制，而在国会中上议院
representation for each state in the senior house,
也就是参议院，实行平等代表制
the Senate. Nice job, guys. Another issue
这可是一个创举，另外一个大问题
concerns slavery. Representatives of
则是奴隶制，北方各州的代表
northern states wanted slaves counted as equal
一方面希望将奴隶与常人同等计数
to free people for purposes of determining
这样他们就能决定每个州应当
every states tax burden, that would cost the south
上缴多少税，同时这也意味着奴隶制
a great deal of money. They did not want slaves
发达的南方各州需要上缴更多的钱
to count at all towards determining a states'
但另一方面他们又不希望将奴隶计数
number of seats in the House of Representatives,
因为这样南方各州在众议院中的席位
that is to say they wanted to have it both ways.
就会减少，也就是他们两种目的都想达到
Ultimately the founders agreed that for
于是最后，开国立法者决定在
tax levies and house membership a slave
税收和国会代表问题上，一个奴隶就
would count as 3/5ths, that is to say 60%
等同于一个正常人的五分之三
of a free person. That's sad. Worse yet
也就是60% 。这非常令人难受
there was no discussion of the institution
更糟的是，当时对于奴隶制这个机制
of slavery itself. This omission nearly
根本就没有任何讨论，这种忽视
destroyed the United States before it had
差点让美国在诞生不到100年的
a chance to become a century old.
时间里就毁在自己手上
