An American Identity (College Board AP® US History)

Timeline

Summary

War and independence were not the only changes in eastern North America during the second half of the 18th century. Along with a new form of government came new identities and cultural practices based on the ideas and ideals of what it meant to be an American. Some, such as freedom and justice, were shared by all Americans, while others were rooted in regional practices and values.

The arts also transformed alongside the American government.

• As Americans distanced themselves from European political traditions, artists and writers found inspiration in their struggle for independence, the leaders who got them there, and the landscape of their new motherland.

• Architects emphasized the importance of the country’s new foundations with grand structures and visual references to ancient buildings.

National Culture

• A national culture formed as the 13 individual colonies came together to fight British tyranny, and then establish a unified nation

• Old European customs were abandoned

  • State laws and constitutions ended the titled aristocracy

    • This created a more egalitarian society

  • Separation of church and state prevented most state governments from providing financial support for religious institutions

• New core values developed including:

  • equality, freedom, and justice

    • These are all mentioned in the Declaration of Independence

    • They are also protected by the Bill of Rights

  • individualism

    • This is protected by the Bill of Rights

  • free enterprise

    • This was demonstrated before the American Revolution when colonists boycotted British imports and instead engaged in independent economic activity such as local businesses creating their own goods

  • women’s education

    • Stems from the increasing importance of Republican Motherhood

Regional Culture

• Debates over the structure and function of the federal government highlighted the differences between the North and South

Regional culture in the South

• Agriculture was the dominant industry

• Slavery was widely accepted and the use of enslaved labor was growing

• There were fewer cities

• The majority of people agreed with Democratic-Republican beliefs

  • They wanted powerful state governments and a smaller, less powerful central government

Regional culture in the North

• Manufacturing was the dominant industry

• Slavery was quickly falling out of favor

  • Some states had banned slavery; others had made plans to gradually phase it out

• There were more cities and urban centers

• The majority of people agreed with Federalist beliefs

  • They wanted a strong central government

American Art, Literature, and Architecture

American art

• American art was heavily influenced by European styles, Enlightenment ideals, and current events

• Before the American Revolution, artists mimicked popular European styles of art, including portraiture

• After the revolution, historical narrative paintings became popular

  • Painter John Trumbull was known for his works depicting important moments during and after the war

  • Other important artists included Charles Wilson Peale, Gilbert Stuart, and John Singleton Copley

• Landscape paintings of the vast American frontier showed the influence of Enlightenment thought

  • These paintings embodied the Enlightenment’s emphasis on nature

  • Artwork of all genres highlighted the Enlightenment’s principles of order, harmony, unity, and proportion

• As the 18th century went on, artwork began to include women and African Americans as subjects

American literature

• American literature was largely educational and/or persuasive. It instructed Americans on:

  • how they should behave

  • what they should know

  • what they should believe

• Popular nonfiction topics included Enlightenment philosophy, the first history of the American Revolution, and an almanac of wit and wisdom

  • Common Sense by Thomas Paine, 1776

  • History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution by Mercy Otis Warren, 1805

  • Poor Richard’s Almanack by Benjamin Franklin, yearly, 1732–58

• Novels were not yet popular in the United States by the end of the 18th century

  • The first American novel was The Power of Sympathy by William Hill Brown, 1789

    • It was a template for future authors to find success in sentimental novels that presented an unrealistic, romantic view of their subject

• Popular writing of the mid-to-late 18th century was more descriptive and inclusive of figurative language than the Puritan, religious writings that characterized the first half of the century

American architecture

• American architecture was primarily Georgian and Federal, 1754–1800

• The Georgian style was popular in the colonies from 1700 to the late 1770s

  • Examples include Independence Hall in Philadelphia, King’s Chapel in Boston, and buildings in Williamsburg, Virginia

    • Red brick houses, white wood trim

    • Interiors were divided by central hallways

    • Inside walls were covered in wooden panels that were painted in warm colors

    • The ceilings were white plaster

• Federal style was popular from 1785 to 1820

  • It was influenced by Roman architecture

    • US leaders believed their new country was similar to Rome’s republic

  • Federal style featured classical arches with columns and domes

    • These architectural features gave buildings an air of formality that conveyed their importance

  • Thomas Jefferson was a big fan of this style

    • He ensured that the University of Virginia and Washington, DC, were both designed in the Federal style

  • The US Capitol Building is the largest example of Federal style in the United States