Question

Josiah Bartlett was born the son of a farmer . He has little formal schooling, but has read extensively. At twelve, Josiah left home to serve an apprenticeship as a cooper. By the age of eighteen, Josiah set out to make his mark in his state. Working as an overseer on small plantations, he soon saved enough money to begin buying land of his own, and by 1775 he owned half the land in his state. Rather than operating large scale and exclusively slave plantations. Josiah invested in smaller farms operated by indentured servants. He ships a great deal of cotton to Europe. His economic interests are threatened not only by unstable currency but also by high tariffs and taxes imposed by neighboring states. Is Josiah Bartlett a Federalist, Anti-Federalist or Undecided? List reasons for your choice.

A) Federalist
B) Anti-Federalist
C) Undecided

Answer 1

Josiah Bartlett's situation suggests that he would likely be a Federalist due to his support for a strong central government to create a stable economy, manage trade, and establish uniform policies that would benefit his business interests.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given Josiah Bartlett's profile, it is likely that he aligns with the Federalist position. His concerns over the unstable currency, as well as the high tariffs and taxes imposed by neighboring states, suggest that he would support a strong national government to create a more stable economic framework and ensure better inter-state commerce regulations.

The Federalists advocated for a stronger national government under the new Constitution, which would be more capable of managing economic policy and disputes among states. Considering Josiah's substantial land ownership and interest in maintaining economic stability for his trade with Europe, these Federalist policies would align with his own economic interests, which are threatened by a weaker federal structure that could not effectively manage economic and trade issues.

Furthermore, he may perceive a strong central government as a means to protect his business interests against the economic policies of neighboring states that could negatively affect his cotton shipments to Europe. Thus, it can be reasoned that Josiah Bartlett would likely identify as a Federalist.