Global battle between Europeans and Native Americans
Conflict to determine the new nation's identity
American freedom is intrinsically linked to the idea of equality:
Equality before the law
Equality in political rights
Equality in economic opportunity
Expanding the Political Nation
Definition of Democracy: Governance by the entire populace directly.
Concerns:
Risk of mob rule.
Suitability for early societies versus complexity of modern governance.
Government should serve the populace rather than a privileged elite.
Consideration of political minority rights.
Aspirations for Greater Equality:
Inspired by the struggle for independence.
Issues discussed among the masses:
Universal male suffrage.
Religious toleration.
Abolition of slavery.
State Constitutions
Each state established its own constitution guided by republican values:
Authority based on the consent of the governed.
Variability in specific forms, yet aligned with public good.
Considerations included:
Unicameral vs. bicameral legislatures.
Role of a governor.
Existence of a judiciary.
Voting eligibility.
The Right to Vote
Pennsylvania's Voting Policy (1776):
Most democratic: Allowed all tax-paying men over 21 to vote with no property requirements.
New Jersey (1776-1807):
Property ownership of £50 required, included unmarried women and free blacks.
Maryland and South Carolina:
Less progressive with high property qualifications limiting voting to an elite minority.
By the 1780s:
A significant majority of free, white men had gained voting rights.
Public perception linked freedom directly to the right to vote.
Toward Religious Toleration
Religious Pluralism
Pre-Revolutionary Context:
Churches often funded by public money.
Discrimination against minority faiths:
Catholics: 25,000 to 40,000 (1-1.6% of the population).
Jews: 2,000 to 3,000 (~0.1%).
Changes Post-American Revolution:
Diminished Catholic prejudice due to alliances with France and Spain.
Maryland granted Catholics the right to worship.
Notable figures:
Haym Salomon: Financial backer of the military contributing approximately $650,000 (equivalent to $374 million today).
State Conventions and Requirements
New state constitutions required affirmation of faith/belief in a god, but not specific to any denomination; generally aligned with Christianity.
Disestablishment of official churches occurred, although some states continued to allocate funds for Protestant denominations.
The Founders and Religion
Characterized religion as foundational to public morality.
Advocated for the protection of religious freedom from state control.
Jefferson's Principle:
Promoted a "wall of separation" between church and state in his letter to the Danbury Baptists (1802).
Assurance that religion is a God-given right, not a government-granted one, thus beyond government control.
Religious Liberty
Protection of religious practices resulted in flourishing of diverse faiths:
Clear demarcation between public authority and private life.
Post-Revolution, religious influence grew significantly.
A remarkable increase in the variety of religious denominations.
Freedom in worship acknowledged and upheld.
Christian Republicanism
Marriages of political and religious frameworks during the independence struggle:
Personal virtue seen as foundational for a free society.
Affirmation that freedom, both religious and political, was essential for the development of virtue.
Public authority supported by religious values.
Due to the separation of church and state, leaders were not/ could not be adversarial towards religion.
Defining Economic Freedom
Toward Free Labor
The spectrum between free and unfree labor diminished:
Indenture servitude had nearly ended by 1800.
Decline in apprenticeships noted.
Increase in paid domestic servants.
Rise of republican citizenship.
Definition of Free Labor:
Wage labor or ownership of farms/shops.
Increased focus on distinguishing free labor from slavery.
Economic Freedom
Concept of Equality understood as equal opportunity instead of equal condition or outcome.:
Emphasis that a lack of economic resources equates to a lack of freedom.
Virginia abolished restrictive inheritance laws:
Entail: System limiting inheritance to specified heirs.
Primogeniture: Laws where land was passed entirely to the eldest son.
Economic Conditions Post-Revolution
Transition in wartime economy leading to post-war inflation:
Effect of hoarding, disruption in trade and agriculture.
Paper Continentals:
Currency created during war showed extreme inflation and loss of value.
Free Trade
Challenges of controlling inflation through wage and price fixing.
Resistance from merchants due to market realities.
Advocacy for Free Trade Policies:
Proposed removal of arbitrary price and wage controls to allow for market self-regulation.
Established principles of valuing products based on supply and demand.
Encouraged economic development through self-interest.
Morality and Wealth
Adam Smith - Scottish economist and philosopher:
Wrote "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" in 1759 - foundation for ethical and methodological economic thought focusing on self-interest, free exchange, and sympathy.
Published "The Wealth of Nations" in 1776 advocating limited government intervention in free markets, leading to self-regulation thereof.
Introduced the concept of the Invisible Hand, promoting free trade and natural reduction in costs through innovation and efficiency.
The Limits of Liberty
Colonial Loyalists
Definition of Loyalists: Those who remained loyal to the British crown.
Estimated 20-25% of the population were Loyalists;
Around 20,000 fought alongside the British.
Present in all colonies including New York, Pennsylvania, and Southern backcountry regions.
Many Loyalists experienced arrest and property seizure by the states post-war.
Approximately 60,000 Loyalists emigrated from the U.S. to Great Britain, Canada, and the West Indies after the war.
Geographic Distribution of Loyalsim
Map indicating areas of strong Loyalist support versus strong patriot support, neutral colonists, and Native Nations aligned with Loyalists.
Native Americans and Freedom
Post-war western lands perceived as a reward of victory, with the end of British restrictions.
The Treaty of Paris ceded all British land east of the Mississippi River.
Native Americans utilized revolutionary rhetoric to assert their rights regarding territorial sovereignty, land policies, and trade.
The Language of Slavery & Freedom
Revolutionary discourse juxtaposed themes of freedom with slavery:
Use of slavery as a political category in revolutionary rhetoric.
Acknowledgment of moral contradictions by many, leading to increased awareness and the rise of abolitionist societies.
Abolition and its Obstacles
Noteworthy that most founding figures of the nation owned slaves at some point.
Legal and societal barriers to emancipation included:
Inheritance, purchase, and manumission complexities.
Virginia imposed stringent measures against emancipating slaves, involving debt, inheritance, dowry, financial implications, abandonment requirements, and property rights arguments.
Arguments for Abolition
Public Debate on abolition gained traction:
Moral and economic arguments against slavery.
Freedom petitions presented in courts by enslaved individuals advocating for liberty.
Resulted in the abolition of slavery in several northern states between 1777 and 1804 in Vermont, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey.
Enactment of the Northwest Ordinance (1787) prohibiting slavery in the territory.
Emancipations
Emancipation through military service noted:
Approximately 5,000 on the American side and around 20,000 on the British side.
A notable wave of emancipation in Chesapeake was recorded during the 1780s.
Many were mandated to navigate restrictive laws, with minimal voluntary emancipation in South Carolina and Georgia.
Black Founders
Significant Individuals:
Lemuel Haynes: MA Militiaman and minister.
James Armistead Lafayette: Served as a spy for General Washington.
James Forten: Soldier, businessman, and abolitionist.
Richard Allen: Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church).
Revolutionary Women
Women's Roles in public activism grew significantly:
Concept of Republican motherhood evolved, emphasizing women's role in educating future citizens.
Viewed as foundational for national morality within the family.
Expansion of educational opportunities for women was encouraged, coupled with a societal duty to educate sons.
Emergence and emphasis on companionate marriages.
Founding Mothers
Notable Figures:
Abigail Adams: Confidante and advisor to her husband; advocate for women's rights.
Mercy Otis Warren: Writer who made a case for revolutionary ideals through her writings.
Betsy Ross: Credited with the design and creation of the first American Flag.
Phillis Wheatley: The first published African American poet, formerly enslaved, known for her works promoting American Independence.
Conclusion
The document concludes with provisions for more information on social and cultural developments following the Revolutionary Era and encourages reference to Chapter 6 for further insight.
Questions?
The final slide prompts audiences to engage and ask questions, suggesting an open dialogue on the material presented.