North Carolina in the New Nation

Soon after joining the Union, North Carolina found themselves in conflict with the new federal government, and when North Carolina turned back to the former idea of a small, decentralized, national government, the state fell behind the rest of the nation, which was moving forward in leaps and bounds.

The First Party System

  The United States’ first two political parties were formed by the ideas of two men who held positions in Washington’s cabinet. These two men were Alexander Hamilton, the secretary of the treasury; and Thomas Jefferson, the secretary of state.  

Alexander Hamilton did not support the idea of states’ rights, and felt his loyalties in the nation and George Washington. Hamilton’s policies often built up the national government, but they often gave up states’ rights in the process. His establishment of the Bank of the United States is a perfect example of Hamilton working to strengthen the federal government. The national bank would lend money to the federal government and issue paper currency. Controversy arose because the Constitution did not explicitly state the right of the national government to institute a bank (although it did provide the government with the right to regulate the money supply). In 1791, Congress chartered the Bank of the United States, but not before meeting opposition from Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson felt that the Constitution should be followed word-for-word, and that any power that the Constitution did not clearly provide to the federal government should be in the hands of the state, emphasizing his ideals of a weak central government.

The opposing views of these national leaders led to the creation of the first two political parties in the US. The Federalists, headed by Washington and Hamilton, were: for the most part located in New England; in favor of restoring relations with Britain and France, which would, in turn, strengthen US powers abroad; the federalists also felt that only the elite should be involved in politics, and thus were not supporters of democracy.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison formed the Republican Party. Based in middle and southern states, the Republicans were appealing to the common man (i.e. yeoman farmers, plantation owners, artisans, etc.), they were in favor of exploring western lands and opening them for settlement, and were strong supporters of public involvement in government.

The political structure of NC followed that of government on a national level. Republicans were widespread throughout the state (especially in areas of large plantations), while the Federalists held their place in the large cities.

Federalist Founders	Republican Founders
Alexander Hamilton http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/hamilton/3.html	Thomas Jefferson http://www.indianchild.com/thomas_jefferson.htm
George Washington http://www.indianchild.com/george_washington.htm	James Madison http://www.americanpresidents.org/grantstomb/jmadison.asp

War of 1812

           The United States found it quite difficult to remain neutral while much of the world was at war.  France and Great Britain were always at war, and they both tried to block the U.S. from trading with the other.  Great Britain, the world’s largest navy, took American sailors off their ships and made them serve in the Royal navy.  In 1807, President Jefferson began an embargo.  This stopped all trade with foreign countries, but it was unpopular and was ignored.  Britain was stirring up tribes in new states, and the Americans were angrier at them than at France.  Hoping to capture Canada and eliminate he British and Indian threat in the West, a group of land hungry southerners and westerners known as the War Hawks wanted the U.S. to declare war on Great Britain.  In 1812, President James Madison asked Congress to declare war on Great Britain, but this was not a good decision for the nation was poorly prepared for war.

           
            http://encarta.msn.com/media_461558196_761568188_-1_1/Battle_of_New_Orleans.html

         Many North Carolinians were against the war, however North Carolina was not really involved in the conflict or fighting.  Entering Washington in 1814, the British burned the Capitol and the White House.  Before the British arrived, Dolley Madison (the president’s wife) saved many valuables from the house including a portrait of George Washington.

            Ending the War of 1812, the Treaty of Ghent was signed in Belgium in December 1814.  It settled everything to what it had been before the war, which did not gain the U.S. anything but showed it was willing to fight for its independence.  The war had started a change in economy everywhere but North Carolina, and had effects on industry and transportation throughout America.

The Rip Van Winkle State

        North Carolina earned the title "The Rip Van Winkle State" in the early 1800s due to its lack of growth in transportation, agriculture, education, and manufacturing that the rest of the country was involved in. North Carolinian's interests in improving conditions in the state were little to none, and thus many interior problems were left without proper response.

        The easterners of NC kept a firm hold in the government; over half of the counties were in the east, even after the state legislature created new counties, which created unfair representation against the westerners (who held a higher population).

        Farmers in the mountains were able to run their farms to suit their needs, but lack of proper roads and waterways left these people landlocked and unable to transport their crops to market. An observation made by Governor John Motley Morehead in 1842, stated, “it cost a farmer on-half the value of his crop just to transport the other half to market.” Although not as impaired as the agricultural conditions in NC, the state’s industry still wasn’t keeping in step with surrounding states. In 1815 the state housed three paper mills, one cotton mill, and twenty-three iron works. Lack of raw materials or waterpower was not what withheld NC from prospering; rather, it was the resistance of the population to take any forward movements. Spinning mills began to appear, but the twenty-five that were in operation by 1840 did not support a market larger than that of local purpose.

        The state could not provide the funding needed to industrialize through the government—they did not have any money left over from paying for other branches of state government, and North Carolinians’ resistances to taxes of any kind left the government with little revenue. Industrialization and internal improvements were not the only areas that were not receiving proper government involvement; education was being disregarded, and in 1840, over one-third of all adults in North Carolina were illiterate.

        Because North Carolina held little prospective future, many people left the state and moved out west where they could utilize the economic opportunities and more democratically arranged government. The 1830s was the time period with the heaviest migration, and during this decade the state’s population only rose by two percent. In 1860, the census results showed that more than 400,000 people native to North Carolina were living somewhere else. This decline in population only sent NC catapulting further away from the progress that was becoming symbolic of the United States.

Voices of Reform

          During the early 1800’s, evangelical Protestantism swept through the South.  This greatly personal and emotional religious activity was known as the Great Revival.  Beginning in the lowest rank of society it bubbled up and also reached the highest of society.  Roots of the Great Revival went all the way back to the 1700’s.  Methodist circuit riders (clergymen with regular routes) spread out across the South to bring religion to isolated settlements.  Baptists and Methodists preached about the brotherhood of mad, regardless of race of social class.

            Another call of reform came from a small group of upper class planters, politicians, and educators who wished to put the state on a new course.  This was called the Murphey Program.  Murphey made a series of North Carolina’s problems for the General Assembly.  In these reports he called for a program of internal improvements, public education, constitutional reform, and drainage of swamplands.  He also insisted that government play a leading role in the development of the state.

            Murphey thought the state badly needed a system of land and water transportation that would bring foreign trade to North Carolina’s towns and ports.  A new road system was needed to bring and tie everything together.  Other important factors such as education and revising the state constitution were also in Murphey’s plan.  Individuals, private companies, and County Governments could not coordinate this program; therefore Murphey felt the government must.

            North Carolina adopted some parts of Murphey’s programs.  The state did establish a Literary Fund to create “common schools” for the education on white children, but the fund was too small.  The General Assembly did little to promote public education.