The Nationalists (continued)
This fear, along with the Nationalists’ understanding of history, continued to spark debate between the group, other national leaders, and the colonists. Many feared that by giving too much control to the government they would be creating another Great Britain. In fact, George Washington was opposed to returning power to the hands of a monarchy.
Another concern at hand for the growing nation was the economy. The war had left a financial imprint on the United States. Even in 1786, some three years after the war, the United States had a debt of 50 million dollars. Individual states were now left to fend off their own financial troubles. Once again, the upper class pointed their fingers towards the Articles of Confederation. It was the opinion of the elite that too much power should not be given to the average class, since they were not well educated. In terms of the economy, the upper class felt that the weaknesses associated with the Articles of Confederation only added to the nation’s financial burdens.