The Challenges Faced By The Former Colonies After Independence

Question 1

Issue: What was the challenge of lack of unity in terms of govenrment ?

Answer 1

• there was a National commander, an army, an olbilgarikn to serve, negotiations with foreign powers and paper money
• however, there was no National tax, uniform law or war cabinet
• Congress was reluctant to arm and clothe Washington’s army

Question 2

What were the divisions in society and why were they a challenge?

Answer 2

• loyalist wee dived from patriots and large numbers fled to Canada or UK
• wealthy were divided from ‘middling sort’ (small traders, farmers with acreage ect) and in some states such as South Carolina there had been open conflict between richer property owners/ merchants and professional against the poorer backcountry
• divided between white former colonists and natives
• Tension to not exacerbate these existing rivalries

Question 3

How were there divisions between the North and South ?

Answer 3

• the slave economy in the south developed differently from the trade and farming economy of the North
• Southern colonies were deeply divided in the war and plantation economy may result in a separate southern union
• Shared puritan heriaye might easily led to a seperate New England state.
• No guarantee western expansion would join as new states
• This meant that action was needed in order to sustain the union both with the south and any new states

Question 4

Why was a desire for liberty and the lack of enthusiasm for a government an issue ?

Answer 4

• True liberty: being free from state control. Jefferson and others saw a central government as potentially corrupt and restrictive with some states now becoming far more democratic rejecting authority of elite rulers
• New authorities met in public and were elected, egalitarian with states having equal voting rights
• This meant that there was little enthusiasm for strong govenrment in new states or the ‘united states’
• difficult to maintain a collective rather than a looser association

Question 5

Was there certainty that govenrment would remain at all ?

Answer 5

• no certainty it would survive
• Some states, in opposition to the more democratic ones, talked of restoring the monarchy
• Many argued past republics had fallen victim to dictatorship like Britain under Oliver Cromwell or Rome
• Federalist envisaged a strong republic leading expansion to support the whole nation. Balance of power between elements such as liberty and order. Dominated by wise, educated and enlightened governors to preserve the revolutions ideals however this seemed unlikely

Question 6

Why was debt a challenge ?

Answer 6

• congress had raised money by borrowing from abroad and from individuals, New republic had a large debt
• many farmers and small in debt were in debt
• many of these were still owed money with soldier’s being left I payed
• creditors needed a stable currency and ensure finance and law would ensure they were payed. Debtors however wanted printed money and rising prices so debts could be wiped out.
• assemblies were pressured to pass measures to help debit its by printing money: inflation
• divided the society between affluent creditors and poorer debtors

Question 7

Why was expansion a challenge ?

Answer 7

• 1780s was a period of rapid population rise leading to expansion
• led to increased attacks on natives and raised the prospect of a conflict with Spain
• a strong govenrment was needed to ensure orderly move or settlers and establishment of new territory and a strong army was needed