Ogren Janelle U.S. History to 1865 Professor Ponce October 11, 2007 Paper #1, Option E Creating a New Nation Question Two The United States may seem like an indestructible nation today, but this was not always the case. For years, America was under British rule and only after independence was won in the late 1770s did Americans begin to build the nation we know today. However, creating this new nation was not an easy feat and Americans faced many struggles and setbacks in order to find the best form of government possible. Although there were different opinions, shared American values are seen within the Constitution and the formation of this country's Constitution was crucial to the success of the nation. The reason this new form of government prevailed was due to these shared values of leadership, unity, independence, education and pride and the American citizen's dedication to these values. The importance of good leadership was a fundamental aspect of the early part of American history. The influence that our first president, George Washington, had on the creation of the nation, and the respect he generated as a result of his leadership is easily seen in many historical documents. In an undated glass painting commemorating his death, Washington was referenced as being "renowned in war, great in the Senate, and possessed of every qualification to render him worthy the title of a GREAT and GOOD MAN" ( Document 6.6). His death was obviously a great loss to the nation and is shown
in the same glass painting by the depiction of angels surrounding him in a worshipping manner, and a soldier holding a handkerchief grieving (Document 6.6). George Washington was seen by the people to be "the man who did his country save" and in a song that was written after his death, the fears of a new leader are easily seen. Jefferson was not trusted by some Americans because they believed that "he's not fit to rule mankind" and the people's main concern for Jefferson was that they thought "he'll not protect our land" (Document 6.5). This distrust by the people in a leader other than Washington showed how Americans valued a positive authority figure and trustworthiness in a leader. Part of Washington's fame comes from his ability to provoke and spread the idea of national unity and independence. However, it was much easier to commit to these ideas than to actually commit to the whole of the nation. Due to previous experiences with Great Britain, some citizens were skeptical of the new government for fear of another monarchy. These fears can be seen in letters to the Providence Gazette and Country Journal where the writer states that many of the objections against the Constitution are based on the concern that the government will possess too much power, much like a monarchy (Document 6.1a). Some states were hesitant but the idea of national unity prevailed. Document 6.1b shows evidence that when creating the Constitution and establishing a government the for new nation, Americans believed that it was the people's "duty to promote the interest of the whole United States". The joining of an individual state to the federal union was vastly celebrated and can be seen in a letter from March 9, 1791 that described the celebration that occurred when Vermont joined the
union. Each state that was added to the federal union gave people the hope that "the patriotism of America [would] secure it from venality" (Document 6.3). The devotion by the American citizens towards independence is ultimately what makes national unity, and governmental success, possible for this young, new nation. The pride the people have for their country is manifested through such things as textbooks and letters between a husband and wife. A textbook may seem like an odd historical document to show evidence of pride and devotion, however in the case of the new nation textbooks show that Americans thought education to be of the utmost importance. Parents sought out schooling for their children in order "to improve the minds and refine the taste of youth" (Document 6.8). This emphasis on education was critical for the success of the new nation and its government. In order for the younger generation to someday take over and continue leading the new nation, knowledge about the history of the nation and its politics was deemed necessary. People of the new nation prided themselves on being well read and well versed. Having pride in one's education was not the only area where pride was unmistakable. Sacrifices were made in order to keep one's pride in themselves, in their families, and in their new nation. In a letter to her sister, Dolley Madison, the wife of James Madison, stated that she was "determined not to go myself until I see Mr. Madison safe" while a battle nearby the White House was taking place (Document 6.10). Dolley sacrificed her safety in order to protect the White House and to ensure her husbands safety. Also, Dolley would not leave the White House until she ensured that a large painting of George Washington was taken care of and she personally saw to it that "the precious portrait [was] placed in the hand of two gentlemen of New York, for safe keeping" (Document 6.10). Although these things might seem somewhat trivial from a
modern perspective, Dolley's stubbornness on these issues showed the pride she had for her nation. The values that can be seen through these historical documents are what shaped American values today. Our modern day government owes a lot to the founding fathers of this nation, like George Washington. The values of leadership, unity, independence, education, and pride that were emphasized during the formation of the new nation after the Revolutionary War can still be seen in today's society. Although sometimes they might be overlooked or overshadowed by new controversies, these values were the basis of how our nation was created, and they will never be forgotten.