The most significant cultural result of the War of 1812 today is the American attitude regarding the military for purposes of economic and national security. Previously, the Americans had been distrustful of a strong military believing that it would be subversive towards the republican institutions. However, the1812 War called for the re-evaluation of the republican tenets as the conflict became a revelation that a formidable force was the precursor for the common prosperity (Hickey, 2012). Following the War, the primary duty of the subsequent regimes gradually became the need to place the safety of the nation by adopting an imperialist culture alongside the principles of republicanism. The imperialist culture of the Americans since 1812 has continued to promote national self-confidence while encouraging expansionism that has continued to dominate the American foreign policy to date.
The term “Republican Motherhood”, whether in the context of contemporary America or the period of Abigail Adams, is not misleading given that although the roles expected of women at the time Abigail was advocating for recognition of women responsibilities as homemakers have evolved in today’s society, women continue to play an important moral and supportive role of the American family. However, it is important to note that the perceived or actual moral superiority of men during the pre-revolutionary times is no longer the case today, accordingly if one is only considering the term within the context of the pre-revolutionary ministers the term will also be truthful. During the Jefferson period, the society did not expect the women, especially those in the middle and high-class groups, to socialize, work, or fight. As such, the opportunities for the women were limited to supporting their husbands by raising children and carrying out household chores. However, some brave women such as Betsy Ross were determined to tear down the perceived social walls in a bid to prove that women and girls were equally talented and were capable of participating in other responsibilities that had been a preserve of their male counterparts. The society often forgot the vital supportive role that women carried out during the war, but that changed with the development of the aspect of republican motherhood.
Jefferson founded the Democratic-Republican Party as a means of opposing the principles of the Federalist Party that Alexander Hamilton was leading. The democratic principles that Jefferson sought to introduce through his party was aimed at countering all forms of aristocracy and corruption while focusing on ordinary folk. The principles of republicanism at the time of founding the arty sought to antagonize the elitist bankers, merchants, manufacturers and everyone supporting the principles akin to the British governance system. At the start of the Jefferson era, only Kentucky and Vermont states had accomplished universal suffrage for the White males, but by the end of his term more than half of the states had embraced similar practices. The immediate successors to Jefferson including James Madison, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams successful represented the Party as Jefferson has intended save for few differences. Some of the situations that may have prompted Jefferson to fight directly with his successors are their approaches towards entrenching republicanism, especially following the War of 1812 that ended during the Madison regime. Following the 1812 War, Madison began to favor a strong national government and a strong military, and this was against the principles upon which the Democratic-Republican Party was founded. All along, the Party had favored the strengthening of the States. Accordingly, Jefferson would have fought with Monroe on the issue of appointments because while the former did not make appointments on the basis of party lines, the latter did the opposite thus ending the era of good feeling that Americans had enjoyed during the Jefferson period. Consequently, Jefferson would have disapproved the Adams continued support for a federal government that constantly intervened in the affairs of the State governments.
References
Hickey, D. (2012). The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict. University of Illinois Press.
“John and Abigail Adams: The Original Power Couple”. (2008). American History 43(1), 38-41.
