Fasttrack to America's Past
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Page 86


Page 87
 		Page 86 & 87 - First Impressions of a New Nation

The reading selection

   This reading is a remarkable account of life in America just after the Revolution.  The author, Johann Schoepf, was a German surgeon who had been with the Hessian troops fighting for the British.  After peace was established, he traveled extensively, and left a fascinating picture of the new nation, its people, and its democratic values.

   The selection includes a variety of observations about social, political, and economic life in the U.S. at that time.  The civic spirit, freedom, religious tolerance, sense of equality, and prosperity was very impressive when compared with anywhere else in the world at that time.

 
The picture

1.  A drawing of Johann Schoepf.  A native of Germany, he wrote a book about his travels in America just after the Revolution.
 
2.  A baker preparing loaves of bread for market.  The baker's day began very early, at about 2 o'clock in the morning, so the bread could be baked fresh.


Group discussion questions

   The account by Johann Schoepf shows that Americans in the 1780s shared many of the values and characteristics that people today think of as "100 percent American."
 
   Philadelphia is described as a city of active and involved citizens.  Its people are industrious, and its market is busy and exciting.  The people are not overly concerned with fancy style, but live in a clean and orderly way.
 
   The citizens try to get along with each other, and tolerate different religious views.  They are generous and public spirited.  Education is valued, and the library is open to the public of all social classes.  Newspapers have freedom to criticize public officials, and citizens show they will support freedom of the press when it is challenged.
 
   A sense of equality is very strong.  Schoepf notes that "the poorest day-laborer" speaks about political and religious issues with as much freedom as "the gentleman or the scholar."  Unlike Europe with its rigid class divisions, Schoepf notes that in Philadelphia, "Rank of birth is not recognized."
 

   Some aspects of American life have changed since the 1780s, of course.  City life in some ways is better, and medical education is far better, of course.  Religious freedom is still protected, and Americans respect people of all religious beliefs.  But many parts of American cities today are far from "clean and in good order."  There is still a strong sense of the basic equality of all citizens, and newspapers still have well-protected legal rights to report the news of the day.  Public libraries are found in every city.  American cities still have markets that are filled with products of all kinds, thanks to a great degree of business freedom. 






Copyright Notice

   Copyright 2018 by David Burns.  All rights reserved.  Illustrations and reading selections appearing in this work are taken from sources in the public domain and from private collections used by permission.  Sources include: the Dover Pictorial Archive, the Library of Congress, The National Archives, The Hart Publishing Co., Corel Corporation and its licensors, Nova Development Corporation and its licensors, and others.  Maps were created or adapted by the author using reference maps from the United States Geological Survey and Cartesia Software.  Please see the home page for this title for more information.