Gordon Wood, The American Revolution, Parts V & VI
Reading: Wood, The American Revolution, pp. 91-135.
In these two sections on “Republicanism” and “Republican Society,” Wood puts forward his argument that the American Revolution was indeed revolutionary, and not simply because the colonies gained independence. The revolution had several unforeseen consequences. Having rejected their king, the Americans began questioning other forms of hierarchy as well. While they by no means overturned all social hierarchies, they nevertheless created the most egalitarian society of European origin in the western world.
Wood comes from (and helped create) a school of thought that places heavy emphasis on the role of a “republican ideology” in both precipitating the revolution and in reshaping post-Revolutionary America. (The republican ideology has also been labeled as “Whig” or “country” ideology, because of its roots in a 17th- and 18th-century political movement in Britain that downplayed the authority of the crown.) Perhaps the dominant element of the republican ideology was the belief that liberty was fragile and had to be jeolously guarded, lest it be wiped out by corrupt, power-hungry leaders. (For more on the republican ideology, follow this link.)
Republicanism was not the only ideology at work, however. As they shrugged off their allegiance to the crown, the revolutionaries also tended to follow Thomas Paine in rejecting monarchy and aristocracy altogether. Instead, they accepted the principle articulated in the “Declaration of Independence” that “all men are created equal” and in possession of certain fundamental rights. The revolution thus encouraged egalitarianism, within certain limits.
The notion that all people have a basic set of rights is part of the ideology of “liberalism,” which Wood also refers to. It’s important to note, here, that today we use liberal to label politicians and voters who tend to support government regulation and intervention. But the classical liberalism of the revolutionary period did no such thing. The liberalism that Wood writes about was an ideology that was suspicious of government power and that valued individual rights and liberty above all else.
Republicanism and liberalism constituted overlapping worldviews that reshaped how many Americans thought and behaved during the revolutionary and early republic periods. People of the time, however, did not use these labels (at least not quite in the same way that historians use them).
Perhaps the most important questions to ask, using these two sections, are:
January 28th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
It was very interesting to see how republicanism influenced so many aspects of the post-Revolution era. Aside from having an impact on religion and equality in America, republicanism helped the country somewhat establish its new place in the world. The fresh nation aspired to bring most countries to peace while attaining adequate trade relations to help rebuild the shambled economy.
January 29th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Republicanism influnced many aspects of life. It gave people a sense that were choosen to carry this idea and improve the qualities of life. Ordinary, farmers who were treated poorly under the monarchy, now felt they were apart of society. Republicanism also changed the role with women. Women now were beginning to stand up and say they can have the same rights as men. Finally, republicanism changed every aspect of life. Society, politics, and religion all started to except all races and people. In some parts of the country this change didn’t happen as frequent, but in most places all parts of society were changing.
January 29th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Republicanism changed many people’s lives during and after the revolution. People who were considered lower class and weren’t even looked at were finally given a voice and spot in society. Since the government structure was being changed, so did the family structure. Women were given more respect, and although not right away, they began to have bigger role in society. But republicanism also changed the way slavery was looked at in our country. Wood talks about how antislavery groups were popping up everywhere and at one point there were even more antislavery groups in the south than there were in the north. These changes brought on by republicanism were little changes here and there; they were major life changing things.
January 30th, 2007 at 10:37 am
The Revolution did change society and all that is involved in it but I think the most important part of the Revolution is that it was fought by all levels of wealth, religion, race and gender, but the select elite are those that developed the foundation of America’s independence. Wood expresses this in how he talks about how slavery, although an issue that was gaining interest in eliminating, slavery of blacks remained ingrained in American society. Although women gained new rights that would individualize them from their husbands; women were still not allowed to vote. But the reforms and social welfare systems were a good start to keep the average American at bay.
January 30th, 2007 at 11:08 am
I agree with everything that has been said, but I would like to focus on the influence of religions within the rising American Republic. Wood indicated that the formation of numerous religious congregations and newly founded religious sects gave individuals of all backgrounds–race, social status, gender, etc.–a chance to participate, feel accepted, and be able to voice their opinions and beliefs without being ridiculed by society at large. Communalism aspired throughout many growing societies because of the Christian values and morals that were being incorporated. I think the opportunity many free slaves and women received to become church leaders and preachers played a significant role in the rise of the women’s rights and anti-slavery movements during the subsequent decades. Egalitarianism was the core value the American Republic sought to live by; this value emerged into many controversial questions among Americans, regarding its true meaning and how to positively establish equality among all citizens.