E pluribus unumE pluribus unum

American identity at the FoundingAmerican identity at the Founding

IDENTITYIDENTITY

Distinct, persisting entityDistinct, persisting entity

Set of characteristics belonging Set of characteristics belonging uniquely to oneselfuniquely to oneself

PersonalPersonalCollectiveCollective

Activity IActivity I

Reflection. . .Reflection. . .

• What is What is mymy identity and how was it identity and how was it formed?formed?

• When/how/why did my family come to When/how/why did my family come to America?America?

(See WTP high school text, p. 279)(See WTP high school text, p. 279)

Colonial ContextColonial Context

Each colony had separate charterEach colony had separate charter Population varietyPopulation variety Geographic diversityGeographic diversity

• Northern (Ct., Ma., NH, RI, Plymouth): small Northern (Ct., Ma., NH, RI, Plymouth): small farms; fishing; shippingfarms; fishing; shipping

• Middle (NY, NJ, Pa., Del.): farming; Middle (NY, NJ, Pa., Del.): farming; manufacturing; fur tradingmanufacturing; fur trading

• Southern (Md., Va., NC, SC, Ga.): large Southern (Md., Va., NC, SC, Ga.): large plantations; yeoman farmers; attempted plantations; yeoman farmers; attempted replication of English aristocracyreplication of English aristocracy

PopulationPopulation English (dominant until English (dominant until

1680)1680) Native (at least 160 tribes Native (at least 160 tribes

along east coast)along east coast) DutchDutch African African GermanGerman SwissSwiss WalloonWalloon PortuguesePortuguese Spanish Spanish ScotsScots Scots-IrishScots-Irish FrenchFrench

ReligionReligion PuritanPuritan CalvinistCalvinist CatholicCatholic EpiscopalianEpiscopalian Anglican SeparatistAnglican Separatist PresbyterianPresbyterian BaptistBaptist MethodistMethodist CongregationalCongregational Huguenot (French Protestant)Huguenot (French Protestant) Scotch PresbyterianScotch Presbyterian Jew (Sephardic, Ashkenazi)Jew (Sephardic, Ashkenazi) QuakerQuaker MennoniteMennonite DeistDeist Dutch ReformDutch Reform LutheranLutheran

PoliticsPolitics

NorthernNorthern: Heavily influenced by : Heavily influenced by religionreligion

MiddleMiddle: Cultural localism; clannish : Cultural localism; clannish communitiescommunities

SouthernSouthern: Plantation owners = : Plantation owners = political, economic and cultural political, economic and cultural leadersleaders

Colonial life before Colonial life before 17641764

Governors mostly appointed by CrownGovernors mostly appointed by Crown One legislative branch locally electedOne legislative branch locally elected Largely self-governing except for tradeLargely self-governing except for trade Little controversy with Great Britain before Little controversy with Great Britain before

1764 (first revenue-raising acts for debts 1764 (first revenue-raising acts for debts from French-Indian War)from French-Indian War)

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTRESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

Separate the class into thirteen Separate the class into thirteen groups. Assign each group one of groups. Assign each group one of the thirteen original colonies.the thirteen original colonies.

Have each group make a brief Have each group make a brief research report about its colony after research report about its colony after 1760: population, economy, religion, 1760: population, economy, religion, politics, culture, etc. politics, culture, etc.

MOVING TOWARDS MOVING TOWARDS INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE

1774: First Continental Congress1774: First Continental CongressSecretSecretOne colony/one voteOne colony/one voteUnanimity requiredUnanimity requiredDelegates instructed by colonyDelegates instructed by colony

1775: Second Continental Congress1775: Second Continental CongressCreated Continental ArmyCreated Continental ArmyEstablished national currencyEstablished national currencyCreated Post OfficeCreated Post Office

State constitution-writing begins State constitution-writing begins May 1776May 1776

““Foundational” Foundational” documentsdocuments

• Explain why Explain why government neededgovernment needed

• Create people as stateCreate people as state• Identify rights Identify rights

government to protectgovernment to protect• Create governmentCreate government

E.g., Virginia ConstitutionE.g., Virginia Constitution

Preamble: Declares Independence Preamble: Declares Independence Sec. 1: . . .“[All] men are by nature Sec. 1: . . .“[All] men are by nature

equally free and independent, and equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights. . . have certain inherent rights. . . namely, the enjoyment of life and namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”  and safety.” 

E.g., PreambleE.g., Preamble

““We. . the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging, withWe. . the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging, withgrateful hearts, the goodness of the great Legislator of thegrateful hearts, the goodness of the great Legislator of theuniverse, in affording us, in the course of His providence,universe, in affording us, in the course of His providence,an opportunity, deliberately and peaceably, without fraud,an opportunity, deliberately and peaceably, without fraud,violence or surprise, of entering into an original, explicit,violence or surprise, of entering into an original, explicit,and solemn compact with each other; and of forming a newand solemn compact with each other; and of forming a newconstitution of civil government, for ourselves and posterity;constitution of civil government, for ourselves and posterity;and devoutly imploring His direction in so interesting aand devoutly imploring His direction in so interesting adesign, do agree upon, ordain and establish the followingdesign, do agree upon, ordain and establish the followingDeclaration of Rights, and Frame of Government,Declaration of Rights, and Frame of Government, as the as theConstitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence

Colonies become independent StatesColonies become independent States States have power to States have power to

• levy warlevy war• conclude peaceconclude peace• contract alliancescontract alliances• establish commerceestablish commerce

How do many become one?How do many become one?

1776 image1776 image Eye of divine providenceEye of divine providence Countries from which came: England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Netherlands, Countries from which came: England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Netherlands,

GermanyGermany Shields of 13 statesShields of 13 states Liberty and JusticeLiberty and Justice

James MadisonJames Madison

Americans must identify with country Americans must identify with country first, states secondfirst, states second

Accomplish national identity through Accomplish national identity through representationrepresentation• People elect HousePeople elect House• House elects SenateHouse elects Senate• Legislature elects PresidentLegislature elects President

William PattersonWilliam Patterson

National government should remainNational government should remain

compact among independent, compact among independent, sovereignsovereign

statesstates

Oliver EllsworthOliver Ellsworth(Connecticut Compromise)(Connecticut Compromise)

““We are partly national and partly federal”We are partly national and partly federal”

Statement of American “identity”Statement of American “identity”

Convention CompromisesConvention Compromises

Slavery continuesSlavery continues Citizenship not definedCitizenship not defined Congress given explicit powersCongress given explicit powers States retain “police powers”States retain “police powers” Representation compoundRepresentation compound

• House: Represents people House: Represents people proportionatelyproportionately

• Senate: Represents statesSenate: Represents states

Activity IIActivity II

In what ways are we still “partly In what ways are we still “partly national, partly federal?” national, partly federal?”

Examples. . .Examples. . .