Final answer:
The states had a lack of national sentiment due to strong local governance preferences, economic and political differences, and a regional focus on policy and events. Leaders sought a stronger national government to maintain order and address the nation's collective issues, yet this took time as residents prioritized state over national loyalty.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lack of National Sentiment in Early U.S. History
The states had a lack of national sentiment or loyalty to the central government of the United States because of the strong sense of state sovereignty and the decentralized system that existed at the time. During the Revolutionary War, while nationalism grew, states still viewed themselves as individual entities with more allegiance to local governance than to a central authority. The Confederation Congress's inability to effectively respond to events like Shays's Rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of a federal system without sufficient power. Prominent leaders such as George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton argued for a stronger national government capable of maintaining peace and harmony.
Moreover, differences in economic interests and political philosophies between regions, such as those between the Northern states and the Southern slaveholding states, exacerbated divisions. The Southern states desired a weak central government to maintain their slave-based economies, while the Northern states supported a stronger central government that could potentially outlaw slavery. The Constitution, courts, and the brutal Civil War ultimately began to determine the balance of power between the national and state governments.
In the early days of the republic, residents were far more interested in local events and policies than in national issues. This focus on local concerns, coupled with limited suffrage and property ownership requirements, meant that to most Americans at that time, the central government was a distant and less influential force. It took time and a series of political, economic, and military challenges before the need for a stronger federal government was widely accepted.