Chapter 8 Essay

Republicanism was the national identity that emerged between the years 1790 and 1820.
This national philosophy emerged as a means through the Americans wanted to establish a
republic that was free from colonialist values (Marcus et al., 2004). The principles of this identity
were the full respect for the values of liberty and human rights. In addition, the people were
recognized as the whole sovereign and were given independence from any form of aristocracy.
The three decades presented a period when industrialization was on course in Britain, and
its effects were reaching America. The urge to economically develop resulted to a vigorous
process of industrial expansion in the US. While the Northern merchants were involved in
financing the banking sector, state governments used charters, and any other economic privileges
to improve on the infrastructural system and to assist businesses (Marcus et al., 2004). The
Southern planters were engaged in constant trade with the Northern merchants, with cotton as the
major product from the South. The manufacturing sector in the East expanded as the people
relied on wool and leather to expand shoe, textiles and tin-ware industries (Henretta et al., 2012).
By the year 1820, the young American republic was on the verge of achieving economic
independence and an industrialized society founded on a capitalist ideology.
During the industrialization period in the 18 th and 19th century, the church in Europe had
become part of the state. As a result, majority of those who favored church independence in
Europe moved to America as immigrants. With the republican values that gave individuals more
independence, the church in America experienced rapid expansion (Henretta et al., 2012). The
second awakening that began in 1790 led to the growth of an extensive protestant revival
movement. Through this revival, the Baptist and Methodist clergy changed the spiritual

landscape in the South and the Southwest, attracting even those who had never belonged to a
church. These two grew to become the nations largest religious denominations. In addition, the
Episcopalian, Congregationalist and the Quaker churches experienced extensive growth in terms
of membership (Henretta et al., 2012).
By the year 1820, being an American meant being of the republican values, a religious
individual within the protestant believes and an enterprising citizen in a capitalist market system.
This description still holds in the current American society. America remains the greatest
campaigner of the democratic governance, as a system in which the republican ideologies of
ensuring liberty, freedom and rights for the governed are observed. In addition, the US is the
global leader of the capitalist economic system. This position was emphasized during the cold
war when the capitalist and the communist ideologies were in competition. The triumph of
capitalism over communism led to the majority of world countries adopting the ideology. On
religion, the American society remains, largely, within the protestant churches with the
Methodists and Baptist churches still being largest denominations. Despite the growth of other
churches and religions through globalization, the religious aspect of the society remains deeply
rooted in Christian values.

References
Henretta, J. A., Ewards, R., Self, O. R. (2012). America: A Concise History 5th edition: volume
1. Bedford: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Marcus, R. D., Burner, D., Marcus, A. (2004). America Firsthand: Readings from settlement to
Reconstruction 9th edition: Volume 1. Bedford: Bedford/St. Martin's.