Post-Revolutionary Nationalism

The role of the federal government concerning domestic and foreign affairs was severely contested between the Federalist and Democratic-Republican political parties, which resulted in palpable animosity that permeated domestic politics and social discourses of the young republic. Additionally, socioeconomic factors endemic to the male immigrant-laden population of Baltimore City created an environment of frustration without readily available structures in place to facilitate relaxation. Last, an ineffectual local militia force led by headstrong and opinionated commanders was tasked with maintaining peace and order within the city and the surrounding county. These three aforementioned factors made Baltimore City vulnerable to social unrest and comprise the analytical points of investigation necessary for this paper. On June 18, 1812, just days after the American declaration of war on the British Empire, a mob of Democratic-Republican supporters destroyed a Federalist newspaper office, The Federal Republican, after the Federalist editors criticized

Through a comprehensive understanding of the motivations and underlying factors of the rioters in Baltimore, a deeper interpretation of post-revolutionary nationalism may be revealed. This gained knowledge would help twenty-first century Americans understand current nationalist trends and movements while such movements interact with contemporary political and socioeconomic variables. Therefore, the relatively peaceful demonstrations and assemblies common in the early republic unexpectedly turned violent in Baltimore City during the summer of 1812 because of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican politics and their interactions with the nationalistic, yet diverse, groups of wage laborers in Baltimore