american history through the civil war-discussion board: Week Five Discussion Ov

american history through the civil war-discussion board: Week Five Discussion
Over the past few weeks we have been looking at colonial American history. This week, we will begin looking at the beginning of United States history (literally as the country has just formed). What do you see as the major ideas underpinning the new United States? Make sure to provide specific content to back up your perspective.
(Please make sure to use original examples and reference your text/lecture in your posts. A-I are presenters; J-Z are responders.)
Reply- Kaveh Farajian:
While a lot was going on within the United States after it was just formed a few of the major ideas were the banking system and the growth of literature and pop culture. The idea of a national banking system was introduced by Hamilton who served as secretary of treasury in George Washington’s Cabinet. At first, this idea was opposed by Madison when he was president ” but he now believed that the “expediency and almost necessity” of wartime finance meant that the United States needed a federal bank” (Ch9 Pg315). Madison also hoped to lower inflation caused by the “200 private and state banks”(Ch9 Pg315) who all had their own banknote. This would go on to provide economic stability for the American government and help promote private businesses and industries by extending credit. Another underpinning idea was the formation of pop culture in New America. “Women formed one of the quickest-growing audiences in the United States for the dramatic increase in books, magazines, newspapers, and other kinds of print culture”(Ch9 Pg310). This along with the fact that “more than 90 percent of the white population in the United States could read—a figure estimated to be double the rate in Britain”(Ch9 Pg310) allowed ideas on pop culture to thrive. This created a huge increase in reading material from magazines to novels and also helped expand the US postal service. “By 1822, the United States had more newspaper readers than any other country, and hundreds of papers were printed in small towns in every state and territory”(Ch9 Pg310). This also allowed novels to be made, published, and printed all in America instead of having to depend on Britain for reading material which also made it more affordable. This all helped America form its own culture, paving the path for new ways of thought and the expression of new ideas.