Question

How fragile do you think the new nation was? What were the reasons for that fragility?

Answer 1

The young republic faced much of the same challenges during the 1790s as the newly independent nations of Africa and Asia faced in the 20th century. The United States faced the challenge of building a sound economy, maintaining national independence, and establishing a stable political system, like other nations born in anti-colonial revolutions, that provided a legitimate place for opposition.

It was not at all clear in 1790 that the Alliance would last for a long time. George Washington feared that 20 years would not last for the new administration. Consolidating public support was one obstacle. Just about 5 percent of adult white males voted to ratify the new Constitution, and the Articles of Confederation continued to support two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island. Vermont was in danger of entering Canada.

Economic and foreign policy challenges were also faced by the new government. A large debt existed from the Civil War and paper money released after the conflict was virtually useless. Britain continued to seize forts in the Old Northwest in defiance of the 1783 peace treaty ending the Revolutionary War. Spain declined to accept the southern and western borders of the new republic.

A federal court structure composed of a Supreme Court of six judges, a circuit court in each province, and three appeals courts was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789.

Congress has approved a Bill of Rights in order to strengthen public support for the new administration. The freedom to free press, free expression, and religion were protected by these first ten amendments; the right to lawful assembly; and the right to petition the legislature. The Bill of Rights also guaranteed that the right to trial by jury should not be abused by the central government. In an attempt to convince Anti-Federalists that the powers of the new government were limited, the tenth amendment "reserves all powers not provided in the Constitution to the States or to the people"