As American began to form a separate identity from England during the American Revolution and the early years of the nationhood, they began to rely on a universally appealing ideology of liberty. This unified them ideologically but also highlighted the political, social, and economic divisions of the early republic. Geography underscored those tensions by creating literal and figurative divisions among the newly formed American people. The ideology of independence and the continental geography shaped the Early American identity by paradoxically unifying and dividing the American people, creating a fluid, adaptable national identity.
Despite seeking independence from England, Americans did not find freedom from European influence in the creation of their ideology, creating a paradoxical relationship between the new American identity and the old European philosophies and ideas. Thomas Paine, the European-born, Founding Father, embodied this paradox well. Paine’s well-circulated pamphlet, Common Sense, used European philosophies of government, such as “Lockean liberalism, classical republicanism, and Leveler radicalism,” to stress the commonalities between the colonies—geography and independence. Ideologically, Paine summarized the unifying ideology: “independence is the only bond that tie and keep us together,” underscoring the new American ideologies universality and simplicity. European ideas also influenced other Founding Fathers. For example, John Adams—who helped draft the Declaration of Independence, a linchpin in spreading the ideology of liberty throughout the colonies—also admitted to reading English philosophers with “no small fortitude…necessary.” As Adams and Paine’s rhetoric of liberty became permeable in American culture, they made European ideas and philosophies paradoxically shape the ideologies and rhetoric of the American identity. Although the unification under the ideology of liberty created a separate American identity, the creation of the national government paradoxically divided the Founding Fathers’ individual political identities as they sought to find the best way to fulfill that ideology. This tension created lasting impacts within the larger American identity, which created dispute about the nature of the ideology of liberty and thus the nature of American identity. Thomas Paine warned, “We ought to reflect, that there are three different ways by which an independency may…be effected…. By the legal voice of the people in Congress; by a military power, or by a mob.” The debate surrounding the Constitution echoed these concerns. For example, James Madison’s “Federalist 51” presented the balance of powers as the best way to aid “the preservation of liberty.” He explained how the government functions to prevent mob rule by slowing down the process of government not to be swayed by short-term shifts in public opinion. The “Anti-Federalist 1” expressed concern about the power given the representatives in the stronger Federal government—“people in Congress.” The document claimed “the hideous daemon of Aristocracy” would establish an oppressive power, limiting the rights of the people. Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Empire” speech also underscored this fear, referring to America as an “empire” and claiming smaller states would lose power under a Federal. He conveyed fear of oppressive military leadership, exclaiming as well, “how easy it is [for the President] to render himself absolute!” The dissension led to the anti-federalist ideology became a part of the American identity. Historian Thomas P. Slaughter “traditional” on the frontier. Thus the action of unification created divisions among American leaders, which created lasting …show more content…
The North developed a more capitalistic, trade economy while the South maintained a feudalistic, agrarian economy. Slavery and Western expansion created tensions between the smaller, abolitionist Northern states and the expanding, economically slave-driven Southern states. The “Anti-Federalist 1” document complained about the South’s continued growth as it expanded with Western frontier and continued to gain population through their use of slaves. Many Northern states feared the South would eventually gain political control, leading to intense debates on how to suppress the South’s perceived future political dominance and deal with the issue of slavery during the ratification of the Constitution. Yet this division helped refine the South’s American identity. For example, Thomas Jefferson defended the institution of slavery in “Notes on the States of Virginia.” This created clarifying their ideology of liberty—explaining the limited protections of the government. Thus geographical divisions of the country tested the adaptability of the American ideology, adapting it to the regional
Despite seeking independence from England, Americans did not find freedom from European influence in the creation of their ideology, creating a paradoxical relationship between the new American identity and the old European philosophies and ideas. Thomas Paine, the European-born, Founding Father, embodied this paradox well. Paine’s well-circulated pamphlet, Common Sense, used European philosophies of government, such as “Lockean liberalism, classical republicanism, and Leveler radicalism,” to stress the commonalities between the colonies—geography and independence. Ideologically, Paine summarized the unifying ideology: “independence is the only bond that tie and keep us together,” underscoring the new American ideologies universality and simplicity. European ideas also influenced other Founding Fathers. For example, John Adams—who helped draft the Declaration of Independence, a linchpin in spreading the ideology of liberty throughout the colonies—also admitted to reading English philosophers with “no small fortitude…necessary.” As Adams and Paine’s rhetoric of liberty became permeable in American culture, they made European ideas and philosophies paradoxically shape the ideologies and rhetoric of the American identity. Although the unification under the ideology of liberty created a separate American identity, the creation of the national government paradoxically divided the Founding Fathers’ individual political identities as they sought to find the best way to fulfill that ideology. This tension created lasting impacts within the larger American identity, which created dispute about the nature of the ideology of liberty and thus the nature of American identity. Thomas Paine warned, “We ought to reflect, that there are three different ways by which an independency may…be effected…. By the legal voice of the people in Congress; by a military power, or by a mob.” The debate surrounding the Constitution echoed these concerns. For example, James Madison’s “Federalist 51” presented the balance of powers as the best way to aid “the preservation of liberty.” He explained how the government functions to prevent mob rule by slowing down the process of government not to be swayed by short-term shifts in public opinion. The “Anti-Federalist 1” expressed concern about the power given the representatives in the stronger Federal government—“people in Congress.” The document claimed “the hideous daemon of Aristocracy” would establish an oppressive power, limiting the rights of the people. Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Empire” speech also underscored this fear, referring to America as an “empire” and claiming smaller states would lose power under a Federal. He conveyed fear of oppressive military leadership, exclaiming as well, “how easy it is [for the President] to render himself absolute!” The dissension led to the anti-federalist ideology became a part of the American identity. Historian Thomas P. Slaughter “traditional” on the frontier. Thus the action of unification created divisions among American leaders, which created lasting …show more content…
The North developed a more capitalistic, trade economy while the South maintained a feudalistic, agrarian economy. Slavery and Western expansion created tensions between the smaller, abolitionist Northern states and the expanding, economically slave-driven Southern states. The “Anti-Federalist 1” document complained about the South’s continued growth as it expanded with Western frontier and continued to gain population through their use of slaves. Many Northern states feared the South would eventually gain political control, leading to intense debates on how to suppress the South’s perceived future political dominance and deal with the issue of slavery during the ratification of the Constitution. Yet this division helped refine the South’s American identity. For example, Thomas Jefferson defended the institution of slavery in “Notes on the States of Virginia.” This created clarifying their ideology of liberty—explaining the limited protections of the government. Thus geographical divisions of the country tested the adaptability of the American ideology, adapting it to the regional