Gordon Wood, "The Celebration of Commerce"

The Radicalism of the American Revolution

• argues it's not about the institutions or the lite
  • instead, about the populace!
    • about "ordinary people"
• people were absorbed in the individual pursuit of money
• obsessed with commerce!

title: the motto.
On others inspriation flash, 
Give them eternal fame--
But give me cash!

• war of 1812 was meant to free americans of their greed.
  • revitalizing national spirit and republicanism!
  • but, ofc, it didnt work.
  • but it did make people more ok with the state of heavy commerce
• jefferson came into his presidency trying to reverse the monarchizing ajendas of the federalists

the delivery of the mail was the only way most citizens would know that such a government even existed.

• people formed a lot of societys for different agenda about social good?
• religion was a powerful uniting force
• jefferson hated the orthodoxy, and said that chrisianity was an engine for enslaving mankind
• but for common folk, religion was the way they made the world meaningful

As the Republic became democratized, it became evangelized.

• and then, morality shifted to what held those together
  • theological contract -> social contract?
• had an idea of "disciplined moral militia"
• and then it shifted to views of the revolution that united people
• when relations are defined simply by trade, then the relation becomes equal.
  • equality through shared self-interest?
  • doesnt matter where the dollar came from.
• anyone can say "no" if they werent satisfied with the price

“The market house, like the grave, is a place of perfect equality,” -Philip Freneau

• equality, but not of wealth!
  • but that doesnt actully matter – everyone felt more equal.
• concept of the "self made man" was created
• bunch of stuff about gentlement,
  • the concept was gotten rid of,
  • and people were all reduced to the same level