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Towson University Office of Graduate Studies Emerging TOWSON UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES EMERGING NATIONAL IDENTITY IN PRE‐REVOLUTIONARY AMERICA by Anneliese Johnson A thesis presented to the faculty of Towson University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Social Science Towson University 8000 York Road Towson, MD 21252 May 2013 Acknowledgements It is only with the help and support of many wonderful people that I was able to complete my thesis successfully. First, Dr. Paul McCartney displayed remarkable patience during my most difficult moments, and was able to continually move me forward, even when I was unsure about where to go. His honest appraisal of my work, and advice regarding content, style, and time management, among many things, was invaluable, and I am incredibly grateful for his willingness to teach me. I am honored to have had him as the chairman of my thesis committee. To Dr. Bruce Mortenson, I owe a great deal of gratitude for the insight and advice offered throughout the thesis process. His encouragement, enthusiasm, and accessibility helped me stay calm and kept me focused on the next step, every step of the way. He continues to epitomize Rom Brafman’s notion of the ‘satellite.’ I am also grateful to Dr. Steven Phillips, not only for sitting on my thesis committee, but also for sparking my interest in nationalism as an undergraduate, and continuing to foster that interest at the graduate level by always indulging my questions and search for answers. Additionally, I am indebted to Dr. Alison McCartney, for her encouragement and understanding throughout this process, and also for always sharing her chocolate. To my friends and family who have cheered me on, picked me up, and refused to let me get in the way of myself, thank you; I am in your debt. To my mom and dad, who have always believed in and encouraged me, from my youngest dreams to the ones I carry now, I thank you with all the love and gratitude a child can have for her parents. To iii my husband Wes, who never complained about carrying the heavier load, I simply could not have done this without your love, support, and willingness to read every page, sometimes several times over. Finally, to my children, Kaleb, Ella, and Wade – chase your passions with joy and enthusiasm; you will be so very glad you did. iv Abstract Emerging National Identity in Pre-Revolutionary America Anneliese Johnson The development of American national identity has traditionally been associated with the Revolutionary period. However, previous research fails to incorporate theories of individual identity with ideas about nationalism. This project utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to examine the impact of individual identity formation on emerging national identity. Dramatic social shifts occurred in mid-eighteenth century colonial America, including domestic population growth, immigration, and economic development. These changes forced colonists to explore new possibilities when constructing their individual identity. The shift away from autonomous communities towards interdependence and diversity in mid-eighteenth century America laid the foundation for American national identity to emerge. Pressures created from these social changes weakened association with English identity, and highlighted perceptions of otherness between the English and the colonists, priming the population for a moment of national consciousness. Primary sources are also examined to provide evidence of an emerging unique American national identity in mid-eighteenth century colonial America. v Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction 1-19 An Overview 3-11 Literature Review 11-18 Conclusion 18-19 Chapter 2 – The Relationship Between National 20-47 and Individual Identity Nationalism and National Identity 22-34 Individual Identity Development 34-39 The Reciprocal Nature of Group and Individual 39-45 Identity Conclusion 45-47 Chapter 3 – A Case Study of the Impact of 48-83 Demographic and Economic Changes on American National Identity Early Influences on Colonial Identity 50-63 The Puritan Ethic 51-56 English Influences 56-59 English Nationalism and What 59-63 It Meant for America Change as a Result of Growth within 63-69 Existing Populations Changes as a Result of the Immigrant Story 69-77 Economic Impact 77-82 Conclusion 82-83 vi Chapter 4 – Primary Research in Support 84-104 of American National Identity Resources 86-88 Findings 88-102 Conclusion 102-104 Chapter 5 – Conclusions 105-111 Potential Implications 107-111 Conclusion 111 Bibliography 112-117 Bibliography of Primary Sources 118-128 Curriculum Vita 129 vii 1 Chapter 1 Introduction The Revolutionary period has traditionally been viewed as an era when American identity was created. However, concentrated attention on this period ignores the individual responses to cultural changes that occurred prior to the Revolutionary War but serve as the foundation for American national identity. A new exploration of American identity formation could reveal that American national identity emerged prior to the Revolutionary period in response to increasing pressures from demographic and economic changes. If this were the case, then the Revolutionary period may have served as a crystallizing moment for national identity rather than its genesis. This paper will examine the emergence of American national identity at the individual level in response to demographic and economic changes between 1720 and 1763 as a developmental stage of nationalism. First, the relationship between national identity and the individual will be explored via general theory and specific examples pertaining to colonial America, yielding an increased understanding of the dependence of national identity on individual identity. The second major focus of this research project will be the cultural changes that occurred during the early and mid-eighteenth century due to shifting demographics and new economic trends that influenced the emergence of a separate, uniquely American, identity. Finally, analysis of primary sources such as pamphlets and sermons will be used to provide supporting evidence of identity formation by searching for linguistic clues that American colonists’ began to think of themselves as different than the English despite legal and political ties to the British Empire. 2 Previous research fails to address how large, cultural shifts affected an individual’s sense of identity and civic responsibility. This project will examine the emergence of national identity as part of an individual’s social identity, and the impact individual identity has on national identity at the collective level. The emergence of national identity occurred first on an individual level, and then at the community level where it was able to effect change in a much more dynamic way. National identity present at an individual level provides a stable foundation for the understanding and interpretation of action at a group level. Colonists in the seventeenth century placed a large emphasis on social order and the participation of every member of the group in order to cultivate the success of a thriving colonial endeavor.1 Communities were largely autonomous and focused on encouraging the survival and success of the colony. Population growth, immigration, and economic expansion all undermined the existing social order and introduced a broader understanding of oneself in relation to other colonists, colonies, and even Great Britain. Each of these phenomena expanded interaction with an increasingly more diverse pool of influences. Additionally, British interaction with the colonies was also changing in the mid- eighteenth century in response to surging English nationalism and economic motivations. In the case of colonial America, ‘otherness,’ or the realization that colonists were no longer viewed as equal members of the British Empire may have provided the catalyst needed to spark a revolution and the creation of a new system of government. This sense 1 Lockridge, Kenneth. “Social Change and the Meaning of the American Revolution.” Journal of Social History 6, No. 4 (Summer 1973): 403-439. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3786509 (accessed October 10, 2012). 3 of ‘otherness’ preceded the Revolutionary War, and was an essential component of American national identity. As colonists reconciled new cultural experiences with existing concepts of individual identity, a widening of interpretation occurred, altering many colonists’ understanding of what their identity actually meant. An Overview Subsequent chapters will address various aspects of the emerging American national identity by focusing first on broad concepts, then applying general knowledge to the specific case of colonial America circa 1750. Chapter two is devoted to understanding the relationship between individual identity formation and the construction of national identity at a societal level. First, the foundations of nationalist theory will be discussed, focusing specifically on the intangible aspects that bind groups together and support for national identity. Particular attention will be given to the importance of a common historical past. Common histories provide reference points for current and future generations to use as both identifying signatures and rallying moments that serve as focal points for national pride.2 The emotional connection elicited by such stories reinforces notions of unity3 by highlighting who is and who is not a member of the group based on who does and who does not identify with the given story. The links that create
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