Question

write a paragraph explaining how the early 19th century role of the citizen differed from that of the revolutionary era. phrased another way, what did the term "citizen" mean in 1787 and in 1830?

Answer 1

In 1787 the role of a citizen wasn’t very big, because the American elites kind of feared citizens directly influencing the government. Also this was when the Constitution was still being drafted and the idea of a democracy was still being critiqued. Later in 1830, citizens’ role started to become a more crucial factor in decision making. Since a variety of people took part in politics, their collective voices couldn’t be ignored. The elites recognized this and started to listen to what they had to say as a way to keep at ease.