Quotations
The full title of this reading is "Inn Civility: ____ ____ _ ______ ____ ______ ____"
"Urban Taverns and the Early American Civil Society"
Why did Dr. Hamilton participate in a (possibly fictional) parade in Annapolis?
He wanted to distinguish himself "from the common Rascallion[sic] herd of men."
According to the reading, what is a "social contract"?
"everyone was willing to forgo their personal gain for the betterment of the larger community"
Who wrote this reading?
Dr. Vaughn Scribner
What is a significance of the number of licensed taverns in cities such as Philadelphia and Charleston?
The sheer high number of them, 1 tavern for every 115 people in NYC, for example
Dr. Hamilton believed, "the number of the wise is but _____, and that of the foolish and Simple ____ _____."
"small, very great"
About how many licensed taverns did New York City have in 1750?
220
According to Samuel Johnson, what did possessing a civil identity mean?
"politeness, complaisance...elegance of behavior" and "freedom from barbarity"
True or False: Generally speaking, the 1750s-1770s in the English Colonies was a time of great economic prosperity.
True-these decades were often called a "golden age" of colonial America.
According to this reading's author, what is the significance of the Tuesday Club parade?
This parade shows us how anxious upper-class people were about maintaining a social hierarchy in the colonies.
According to a 1760s traveling Frenchman, "______ _____ is the best business that is Caryed[sic] on."
"Tavern Keeping"
Where did people operate unlicensed taverns?
"Improvised spaces" such as back alleys, basements, and backrooms
According to Benjamin Franklin, why would people in a proper civil society be willing to save a burning building?
They love each other so much that saving someone's burning building is reward in itself (rather than money).
What two drinks does Dr. Hamilton consume before participating in his parade?
Rum punch and wine
How were taverns significant as a "social filter"?
They determined/reflected who was "worthy" of being part of a civil society. Women, enslaved people, and Indigenous People were not worthy.
"Elitist men worried that if not properly regulated...the __ _______ __ _____ _______ would destroy America's civil society before it could truly blossom."
"great Leviathan of Civil Society"
What were some of the different goods and services offered at different taverns?
Sometimes they could have fancy rooms for wealthy people. They also could have special goods for sale, serve as an announcement center, host acting shows, facilitate passage ticket sales, or double as coffee houses.
As this reading's author notes, European philosophers had different ideas about a civil society but generally agreed that a civil society relied on what?
"notions of difference, order, and control"
About how many people lived in North America in 1750?
1 million people
What are some comparisons between this reading and another reading we have had for this class?
Your answer depends on what reading comparison you make.
According to this reading's author, "Taverns, then, represent the ideal spaces between ______ ____ ______ ______."
"civil and uncivil society."
According to this reading's author, what is one of the great ironies of English colonists' use of tavern spaces?
This author claims that "colonists' efforts to emulate their British homeland ultimately impelled the creation of an American republic."
This reading's author claims that would-be gentlemen in the English colonies were "elitist more than elite." What does this mean?
Many gentlemen leaders in the English colonies were looked down on by Europeans because they worked, particularly with their hands, in professions such as physicians or printers.
What did Philadelphia magistrates want people to do to a man named Watt?
Watt was convicted of counterfeiting so as part of his punishment Philadelphia magistrates wanted people to throw debris and snowballs at him.
What is the main significance of this reading?
According to this reading's author, taverns demonstrate "urban tavern goers' complicated struggles to realize a civil society in early America and ultimately reveal how midcentury conceptions of civility drove republican dreams of an independent America."