Ap American History - Change in American Society After Revolution Dbq
Once the Americans were free from British control after the American Revolution, they started to reevaluate their politics, the economy, and society. After America broke away from what they saw as a corrupt and damaging government, they altered how they wanted to govern their society, even though they returned to a more centralized government similar to the British. Those who weren’t educated, as viewed by the elite, didn’t experience a lot of change however the concept from the revolution still guided some to seek more financial opportunities. Women, slaves, and loyalists experienced the most amount of change in society as women experienced more freedoms, some slaves were set free, and loyalists left America. Overall, America didn’t experience a lot of economic change, however it did experience political and social change.
As soon as the Americans first broke away from Britain, they wanted their government to not resemble Britain’s at all. By doing this, they adopted the Articles of Confederation that had no national executive branch. However, because the government under the Articles of Confederation had about no power because it couldn’t raise money through taxes, the people who led the national government came to realize that a more centralized government was needed. As the constitution was written and it was in the process of being ratified by all the states, the federalist papers written mostly by Alexander Hamilton were written. In one paper by James Madison, he writes “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition” (Doc I), which shows the concept of checks and balances could be used to keep the national government in line and controlled. The Constitution, finally ratified, was similar to Britain’s government but also different in its more active system of checks and balances.
Economically, Americans did not experience a lot of change. The Philadelphia society for the promotion of agriculture in 1786, handed out a medal, which said, “venerate the plough”
As soon as the Americans first broke away from Britain, they wanted their government to not resemble Britain’s at all. By doing this, they adopted the Articles of Confederation that had no national executive branch. However, because the government under the Articles of Confederation had about no power because it couldn’t raise money through taxes, the people who led the national government came to realize that a more centralized government was needed. As the constitution was written and it was in the process of being ratified by all the states, the federalist papers written mostly by Alexander Hamilton were written. In one paper by James Madison, he writes “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition” (Doc I), which shows the concept of checks and balances could be used to keep the national government in line and controlled. The Constitution, finally ratified, was similar to Britain’s government but also different in its more active system of checks and balances.
Economically, Americans did not experience a lot of change. The Philadelphia society for the promotion of agriculture in 1786, handed out a medal, which said, “venerate the plough”