After the war had ended, James Madison initially called for federal internal improvements such as bridges, roads, and canals to connect the United States (Document 3). However, he later contradicted himself by voting for Calhoun's Bonus Bill, which aimed to achieve exactly that. As Madison left office, he reverted to the Jeffersonian strict constructionism from approximately 20 years prior. That switch hindered the development of a national identity after 1800. Around the same time, Congress had stated that Americans were united against British attacks on their commerce (Document 2), but what they were really referring to was the impression of American sailors and the British blockade in Europe. Those "attacks" kept American ships from trading with …show more content…
The Cherokees, for instance, drew inspiration from the U.S. Constitution for their tribal constitution, yet they actively asserted their distinct identity by prohibiting the sale of land to the United States by their citizens. Document 4: After the enactment of the Indian Removal Act by the United States government, the issue of integrating Native Americans ceased to be a concern as they were foribly displaced from their land, resulting in the tragic Trail of Tears, which has thousands of Native Americans dying while being relocated across the Mississippi River to allow "real" Americans to exploit their land for gold and resources. Concurrently, a person of color, speaking to the New England Antislavery Society, highlighted the limited opportunities for wealth and social advancement available to free blacks, despite their freedom from being bought or sold. This period also saw the American Colonization Society raising funds to repatriate free blacks to Africa, a proposition endorsed by Abraham Lincoln as late as