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Wayne State University

Defining The Republic

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Abstract</p> <p>DEFINING THE REPUBLIC</p> <p>by</p> <p>WILLIAM J. NICHOLS</p> <p>December 2015</p> <p>Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Grynaviski</p> <p>Major: Political Science (Political Theory)</p> <p>Degree: Doctor of Philosophy</p> <p>The “Great Divergence” between Alexander Hamilton and James Madison is one of the most well-known events in the early history of the United States. Together, Hamilton and Madison wrote most of The Federalist, and each was pivotal in securing the acceptance of the Constitution in their state ratifying conventions. That within just a few years of the establishment of the new form of government each had worked so hard to achieve, they became bitter political enemies, is an often remarked upon, but little studied event.</p> <p>In this dissertation I compare Hamilton and Madison on several different topics, and show they all along had underlying differences of opinion as to what they expected the United States would eventually be like. That they “diverged” is not the result of a change by either individual after the Constitution was ratified, but rather the result of unspoken and unexplored assumptions each had long before they worked together on The Federalist.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph.D.
Level thesis:degree_level
Open Access Dissertation
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Political Science
Year dc:date.available
2016

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Nichols, William Joseph
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Jeffrey Grynaviski

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:digitalcommons.wayne.edu:oa_dissertations-2467

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Wayne State University
Base URL
digitalcommons.wayne.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Nichols, William Joseph. Defining The Republic. Open Access Dissertation thesis, 2016. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/1468