Making Connections

  1. Why did the Federalist alliance of the late 1780s fracture in the 1790s? Why was this development troubling to the nation? In your answer, cite specific ideological and political developments that hindered cooperation.

  2. What provoked the Whiskey Rebellion? How did the government respond? In your answer, discuss the foundations and precedents of the conflict, as well as the significance of the government’s response.

  3. Americans held that virtue was pivotal to the success of their new nation. What did they mean by virtue? How did they hope to ensure that their citizens and their leaders possessed virtue?

  4. The domestic politics of the new nation were profoundly influenced by conflicts beyond the nation’s borders. Discuss how conflicts abroad contributed to domestic political developments in the 1790s.