Final answer:
The concept of tradition, including shared language, ethnicity, and religion, informed calls for separate nationhood by providing a foundation for national identity, which was central to self-determination efforts, particularly during the Revolutionary War and the subsequent shaping of America's political framework.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea of tradition has played a significant role in shaping the quest for separate nationhood throughout history. During the Revolutionary War, although the states united against a common enemy, their desire for a central government was nuanced as the strong sense of patriotism bolstered the call for independence but was not seen as sufficient to maintain unity in peace. Nationalism, often based on language, ethnicity, and religion, became the foundation for nation-states in the nineteenth century. This sense of shared origin and identity was seen as a legitimate reason to control a political system within a distinct territory, hence the calls for self-determination and the formation of new governments post-independence.
In the American context, the political framework took shape from 1776 through 1789, as the former colonies sought to implement new structures and operational guidelines reflective of the Declaration of Independence. The emerging nationalist sentiment led to movements like the American Civil War, which can be seen as an expression of separatist tendencies embraced or contested to various degrees in the quest for self-determination. Self-Determination and the deeper philosophical leanings towards individualism were also evident in the varying political cultures across the states as defined by Daniel Elazar's moralistic, individualistic, and traditionalistic categorizations reflecting settlers' political and religious values.