Final answer:
Washington feared that political divisions would arise from the different sections of the country, potentially leading to disunity. Economic disparities, varying levels of economic freedom, and different political cultures contributed to the gap between middle class Americans and those in the 'other America.' Despite early efforts to mitigate these differences, they eventually led to disunion and the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Washington was afraid that political divisions would grow out of the different sections of the country. The concerns he had were about the potential disunity that could derive from sectional differences, which could harm the cohesiveness of the nation as a whole. This fear was rooted in the recognition that geographic, economic, and ideological disparities between regions (such as the North and South) could lead to conflicts that might disrupt the union.
Several factors led to the increasingly wide gap between white, middle class Americans and those living in "the other America." Economic disparities across states, different levels of economic freedom, and varying political cultures are among the contributing elements. Cultural factors, such as differing attitudes and beliefs about the government, also played a role, as did social factors that delineated between races and classes.
In the period from 1815 to 1840, American leadership managed to mitigate some of the tensions arising from sectional differences. However, underlying threats of disunion persisted, which were largely driven by economic and political issues, and eventually this led to the Civil War in the 1860s. The federal nature of the U.S. republic allowed for different economic policies among states, resulting in a lack of uniform economic freedom and contributing to social and political fractures.