Problems in American Democracy Part 4

In an economic sense the American people were increasingly interdependent. Especially on the frontier many communities were still economically self-sufficing, but to an increasing extent the development of commerce and manufacturing was everywhere calling for a closer cooperation between various sections of the country. The Annapolis Convention of 1786, indeed, was called for the purpose of promoting commercial cooperation among the states. According to Professor Beard, the formation of the Federal Const.i.tution itself may in large measure be traced to the desire throughout the country for interstate cooperation in industry and commerce.

30. AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IN 1787.--The const.i.tutional convention of 1787 expanded American democracy from a local idea to a political concept of national proportions. But though this was an important step forward, American democracy had not yet been fully developed.

Religious freedom, indeed, had been guaranteed by the Const.i.tution, but the suffrage was still narrowly restricted. The adoption of the Const.i.tution was due primarily to negative forces; the full development of the positive forces, upon which the ultimate integrity of the union rests, was to be delayed for almost a century. The states technically abandoned state sovereignty when they accepted the Const.i.tution of 1787, but not until the Civil War had been won was permanent union a.s.sured. Most important of all, American democracy was in 1787 only a political concept. There was at that time no suspicion that democracy was later to be expanded into a philosophy of life, applicable not only to purely governmental affairs, but to the individual in his economic and social relations as well.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT

1. Distinguish between local and national spirit in the Revolutionary period.

2. Describe the first notable attempt at union.

3. What plan of union was proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754?

4. Name several other early attempts at union.

5. Outline the character of the Articles of Confederation.

6. What were the chief defects of the Confederation government?

7. Describe the failure of the Confederation government.

8. Outline clearly the three important reasons for the failure of the states to unite before 1787.

9. Explain the phrase, "Negative forces favoring union."

10. To what extent was the const.i.tutional convention of 1787 the result of positive forces?

11. Explain clearly the statement that in 1787 American democracy had not yet been fully developed.

REQUIRED READINGS

1. Williamson, _Readings in American Democracy_, chapter iii.

Or all of the following:

2. Becker, _Beginnings of the American People_, chapter v.

3. Fiske, _The Critical Period of American History_, chapter iv.

4. Guitteau, _Government and Politics in the United States_, chapter xix.

5. McLaughlin, _The Confederation and the Const.i.tution_, chapter xiii.

QUESTIONS ON THE REQUIRED READING

1. In what sense was Benjamin Franklin the first American? (Becker, pages 190-200.)

2. Describe the commercial warfare carried on by the several states during the critical period. (Fiske, pages 144-147.)

3. Explain why American credit in Europe failed during the critical period. (Fiske, pages 155-157.)

4. Describe the attempts to patch up the Confederation government.

(McLaughlin, chapter xiii.)

5. Explain the statement that "division is sometimes the prelude to more effective union." (Becker, pages 189-191.)

6. What did the Alexandria Conference of 1785 accomplish? (Guitteau, page 215.)

7. What was the Virginia plan? (Guitteau, page 217.)

8. What was the New Jersey plan? (Guitteau, page 217.)

9. What was the "Great Compromise"? (Guitteau, page 218.)

10. What was the Three-Fifths Compromise? (Guitteau, pages 218-219.)

11. Describe the opposition to the ratification of the Const.i.tution (Guitteau, pages 222-224.)

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPORT

I

1. Trace the beginnings of railroad transportation in your section, and describe the effect of improved methods of transportation upon the ability of different communities in your section to cooperate with one another. (Consult local histories.)

2. To what extent does the newspaper help you to understand the character and ideals of individuals beyond your community?

3. Contrast the telephone and the postal service as influencing the development of the cooperative spirit in the city. In rural districts.

4. To what extent would improved methods of transportation and communication lead to a closer cooperation between the rural and urban districts in your state?

5. To what extent has the economic interdependence of different members of your community led to a better understanding? To a closer ident.i.ty of interests?

II

6. Difficulties of travel in colonial times. (Crawford, _Social Life in Old New England_, chapter _x_.)

7. Postal facilities in the colonial period. (Bogart, _Economic History of the United States_, pages 82-83.)

8. Diversity of economic interests among the colonies. (Bogart and Thompson, _Readings in the Economic History of the United States_, pages 29-42.)

9. Union under the Continental Congresses. (Beard, _American Government and Politics_, pages 21-25.)

10. The delegates to the Const.i.tutional Convention of 1787.

(McLaughlin, _The Confederation and the Const.i.tution_, pages 187-190.)