Building the State

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AftertheUnitedStatesdeclareditsIndependencefromBritainonJuly4,1776,thelongprocessofbuildingthestatebegan.Thiserastartedwiththeindividualstateconstitutions,whichblendedthetraditionsofBritishandcolonialrulewiththenew,moreradicalrepublicanismthatinfusedthenationduringtheRevolutionaryWar.Stategovernmentsestablished,Americansrealizedtheneedforanationalgovernmenttotakeonresponsibilityfordiplomaticrepresentationandmilitarycontrol.ThefirstattemptatnationalgovernmentwaslaidoutintheArticlesofConfederation.TheArticlesestablishedaloosefederationofstatesthatallessentiallyactedasindividualrepublics;thebalanceofpowerlayheavilyinthestatesfavorandthenationalgovernmentwasfartooweaktoperformevenitsbasicduties.

Duringthemid1780s,thegovernmentundertheArticlesofConfederationprovedunabletosuccessfullylevyandcollecttaxes,andunabletocarryoutthebasicrequirementsofdiplomacy.Thenationwasindangerofbreakingapart.AfterShays''''RebellionalertedmanyAmericanstotheweaknessofthecurrentnationalgovernment,politicalleadersdecidedtoaltertheframeworkofgovernmentunderwhichtheUnitedStatesoperated.

TheConstitutionalConventionmetinPhiladelphiaanddeterminedthatitwasinthenation''''sbestinteresttocreateanentirelynewframeworkofgovernment.Fornearlyfourmonths,thedelegatesattheconventiondeliberatedonhowbesttoaccomplishthisrebuildingeffort.TheConstitution,theresultoftheseproceedings,setsoutthetripartitesystemofgovernmentthatisstillinplaceintheUStoday.ItcreatedabicamerallegislatureconsistingoftheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate,anexecutivebranchheadedbythepresidentandstaffedbythecabinet,andprovidedfortheestablishmentofajudicialbranch,consistingofafederal-courtsystemheadedbytheSupremeCourt.

AlthoughtheConstitutionestablishedthebasicframeworkofgovernment,itswordingwasvagueinregardtothedetails.Thus,thefirstCongressundertheConstitutionandthefirstPresident,GeorgeWashington,wereresponsibleforworkingoutthedetailsofgovernance.InthefirstyearsofthenewUnitedStates,WashingtonandtheCongresscreated,amongotherthings,thenowacceptedtraditionsofthecabinetandthejudicialsystem.Theprecedentstheysetestablishedthestandardoperatingprocedureofthenationalgovernmentforyearstocome.

DuringthefighttoratifytheConstitution,adivisionsprangupbetweenthosewhowantedtograntthecentralgovernmentbroadpowers,theFederalists,andthosewhofearedthatanationalgovernmentwhichwastoostrongwouldprovedespotic,theAnti-federalists.ThisdebatecontinuedintotheWashingtonadministration,asSecretaryofStateAlexanderHamiltonsetforthaprogramofeconomicFederalismwhichincludedtheassumptionofstatedebtsbythenationalgovernment,andthecreationoftheBankoftheUnitedStates.HiseffortspaidofffortheUSonageneralscale,butHamilton''''sactionsturnedmanyawayfromFederalism,sincetheybelievedHamiltonhadoversteppedtheboundsofthenationalgovernment.

AddedtothegrowinginternalturmoilwasthethreatofwarwithBritain,Spain,andtheNativeAmericansoverthecontroloftheAmericanWest(whichatthispointwastheareaaroundOhio).Onthebrinkofwarwithallthreeparties,Washingtonsentsuccessfuldiplomaticmissionstoachievepeace.However,internationalrelationsprovedtobeyetanotherareawherepassionsranhighandtheAmericanpopulationwasdivided.Washingtonleftofficein1797pleadingforanendtopoliticaldivisionandembroilmentinforeignaffairs.Yetdespitehisbestefforts,theAmericanpublicwasfarmoresharplydividedin1797thanithadbeenattheoutsetofhispresidency.Evenso,uponWashington''''sdeparturefromoffice,Americaitselfwasafarmorepowerfullyestablishednation.