American History: A Survey (Brinkley), 13th Edition

Chapter 7: THE JEFFERSONIAN ERA

Essay

1
Considering the variety of movements covered in the section of your text entitled "The Rise of Cultural Nationalism," how did American cultural life in the early nineteenth century reflect the Republican vision of the nation's future?
2
Jefferson and the Republicans championed the rights of the states and advocated a strict adherence to the Constitution, but once in office, they found new situations that demanded governmental actions that, in some cases, went beyond what the Federalists had done. What caused Jefferson and his party to change their approach to governing, what reservations did they have about what they were doing, and how were they able to rationalize this apparent change in program and philosophy? (Be sure to consult previous chapters when answering this question.)
3
How did the Federalists respond to Republican programs? If the Federalists favored a loose interpretation of the Constitution, why did they protest when Jefferson used a loose interpretation as well? What was it in the Republican program that the Federalists saw as a threat, and how did they respond?
4
Many historians view the War of 1812 as the "second American war for independence," but is this an accurate characterization? In what way did British policies prior to 1812 threaten Americans' independence? Had the United States not fought the war, what might the results have been? Assess these questions, and determine if the United States was indeed fighting for "independence."
5
What happened to the Federalists? For the first decade under the Constitution, the Federalist Party held the nation together, started the government working on a day-to-day basis, and set precedents that are still valid. Twenty years later, they had all but ceased to exist as a party. Why? Examine the events and issues that accompanied the decline of the Federalists, and determine what caused this powerful party to fall. (Be sure to consult previous chapters when answering this question.)
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