Frontier Democracy
Constitutional Conventions in the Old Northwest

Frontier Democracy examines the debates over state constitutions in the antebellum Northwest (Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) from the 1820s–50s.

Silvana R. Siddali (Author)

9781107462892, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 10 May 2018

408 pages, 20 b/w illus. 3 maps 15 tables
22.8 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm, 0.63 kg

'Frontier Democracy is an exhaustively researched account that provides fresh perspectives on several aspects of antebellum northwestern state conventions, most importantly in the attention given to the role of African Americans and women's groups outside the convention halls in trying to gain a hearing for various issues … In detailing the various ways that groups secured a hearing and occasional votes on citizenship issues in antebellum Northwest state constitutional conventions and analyzing the resulting debates in and out of these conventions, Siddali has broadened the scholarly focus and made a fine contribution to standard accounts.' John Dinan, The Annals of Iowa

Frontier Democracy examines the debates over state constitutions in the antebellum Northwest (Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) from the 1820s through the 1850s. This is a book about conversations: in particular, the fights and negotiations over the core ideals in the constitutions that brought these frontier communities to life. Silvana R. Siddali argues that the Northwestern debates over representation and citizenship reveal two profound commitments: the first to fair deliberation, and the second to ethical principles based on republicanism, Christianity, and science. Some of these ideas succeeded brilliantly: within forty years, the region became an economic and demographic success story. However, some failed tragically: racial hatred prevailed everywhere in the region, in spite of reformers' passionate arguments for justice, and resulted in disfranchisement and even exclusion for non-white Northwesterners that lasted for generations.

Introduction
1. Delegates
2. Constitutions
3. Laws
4. Lawmakers
5. Judges
6. Land rights
7. Places
8. Citizens
9. Wives
10. Banks
Epilogue.

Subject Areas: Legal history [LAZ], Constitution: government & the state [JPHC], Politics & government [JP], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], History of the Americas [HBJK]