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3

Revolution and

Republican Culture

1754–1800

P A R T

CHAPTER 5 Although Part 3 is dominated by the causes and consequences of the War of
The Problem of Empire, Independence, it opens in 1754 to capture the changes wrought by the Great
1754–1776 War for Empire, which were revolutionary in themselves — Britain had tri-
umphed in the war, only to see its American empire unravel and descend into
CHAPTER 6 rebellion. Against all odds, thirteen colonies first united to win their inde-
Making War pendence, and then formed a federal republic that could claim a place among
and Republican the nations of the world. “The American war is over,” Philadelphia Patriot

Governments, Benjamin Rush declared in 1787, “but this is far from being the case with
1776–1789 the American Revolution. On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the
great drama is closed. It remains yet to establish and perfect our new forms of

CHAPTER 7 government.”
Hammering Out a The republican revolution extended far beyond politics. It challenged
Federal Republic, many of the values and institutions that had prevailed for centuries in Europe
1787–1820 and the Atlantic world. After 1776, Americans reconsidered basic assump-
tions that structured their societies, cultures, families, and communities.
Moreover, the new nation had to establish its economic independence and
viability as it sought to secure western lands for American citizens and pro-
tect American manufacturing from foreign competition. These effects of the
Revolution were only beginning to take shape by 1800, but we end Part 3
there, when the essential characteristics of the United States were becoming
clear. (Chapter 7 carries the political story forward to 1820 in order to trace
key themes to their conclusion, but Part 4 takes 1800 as its start date.) This
periodization — 1754 to 1800 — captures a critical phase in American his-
tory: the transition from imperial rivalry and wars among European powers
and Native societies to the founding of a new nation-state and its political
institutions. Here are three key questions to keep in mind as you read the
chapters in this part:

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