[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Albeit less impressive thanthe premier examples of neo-Palladianism (such as Monticello and theUniversity of Virginia), these adaptations of Jefferson and Latrobe s ne-oclassical vision demonstrated the public s vision of what the new re-public represented in their minds.Others chose to include the classicalelements of the late Georgian style into their renovations or new build-ings, thus alluding to the democratic ideology of the ancients while ac-knowledging their British heritage. Architecture 87Framed by two wars (the American Revolution and the War of 1812),this formative period in American architecture was one in which politicalideology and architectural theory were often interconnected.Overall, thearchitecture of the early nationalist period represents the American vi-sion of government and self.Despite the disparate viewpoints of whatform of republicanism the new nation should adopt (whether that wouldmean governance by an educated elite, a mercantile approach to the well-being of the republic, or a more populist sentiment), Americans wereunited in their belief that their architecture should perpetuate the ideaof a virtuous republic.Defined by aesthetics and influenced by politicaltheory, the architecture stands as a testament to the deliberation andbeliefs of a new nation, one circumscribed by the Enlightenment era prin-ciples of balance, rationality, and benevolence. The New Nation5FashionAssuredly, the early republican era was one that was characterized byimmense change politically, socially, and culturally.But in no one areawas this more visibly evident than in the fashions of the day.Within thisrelatively brief period, the making of cloth and clothing had radicallychanged.Before the war the finer fabrics, such as satin, damask, brocade,wool, and cottons, had to be imported (Nye, Cultural Life, 132), and onlythe very wealthy could afford these.Even after the war farmers andlaborers and their families made do with homespun (a coarse woolenfabric), linsey-woolsey (a coarse fabric of wool spun with cotton or linenwhich was popular in the North), or fustian (a coarse fabric made of flaxand cotton which was popular in the South).Jeans, fustian-made withwool instead of flax, was particularly popular with the less-privilegedclasses because of its durability.1The making of cotton and linen was extremely labor-intensive.MostAmerican homes had a loom and a spinning wheel to process naturalfiber and make it into cloth.(By this time women, rather than men, tookup the loom.Prior to the war, weaving was the male purview of textileproduction.) Linen, too, proved to be a tricky fabric to process.To getthe desired shade of whiteness, linen needed to be bleached up to 30times.Until Eli Whitney (1765 1825) invented the cotton gin in 1793, thecleaning of cotton was extremely tedious and thus expensive.(The seedsembedded in the lint had to be removed by hand.Because Whitney sinvention greatly accelerated the cotton-cleaning process, cotton growingswiftly became an extremely profitable enterprise for southern plantationowners.) Although cotton clothing was considered stylish and thereforehighly desirable before the war, it was relatively scarce for two reasons: 90 Popular Culture of the New Nationthe high price and England s restrictions on the American textile indus-try.(The British had relentlessly discouraged the development of Amer-ican textile mills primarily in an attempt to protect its own textileindustries.)Once the War for Independence had ended, Americans increased theirefforts to establish a thriving textile industry on their own shore.Enter-prising (and stealthy) textile manufacturers smuggled out of Englandclosely guarded schematics for carding machines, looms, and spinningjennies.The availability of domestically loomed textiles, heretofore onlyobtainable through importation, was a boon to American clothing mak-ing and fashion.By 1790, Americans were donning American-madechecks, ginghams, and cotton sheeting (Train, 252).By 1810, Americanswere able to commercially produce silk.(Prior to then, silk was spunand woven in the home.) Cotton, however, became the fabric of prefer-ence.The patriotic mood of the period also led to the rejection of the moreluxurious fabrics (satin, velvet, brocades, and silks).In an effort to pro-mote American industry, the wearing of these fabrics (associated withthe English textile industry) was regarded as unpatriotic.A true son ordaughter of the republic wore domestic fabrics, such as cotton or ker-seymere (a twilled woolen cloth).As one cultural commentator of theperiod observed, A pair of satin breeches would attract the observationof every beholder almost as much as a maroon colored coat (qtd.inibid., 235).(Shades of red, of course, were associated with Britain.Buffand blue were considered to be more American colors.)By their example, political figures of the day led the movement awayfrom English fabrics in favor of the domestic.Benjamin Franklin, whofor most of his public life dressed simply and plainly, was constantlyadmonishing his daughters to shun opulent materials and dress them-selves in more modest (and more American) calico (Earle, vol.2, 725).George Washington (who loved fine clothes even to the point of havinghis uniforms custom designed and made) adopted clothing made ofAmerican fibers and by American hands.For his first inauguration,Washington was outfitted in a suit of honest Connecticut brown broad-cloth.Martha Washington not only wore domestic fibers, but wove andknitted them as well (ibid.).Other presidents followed Washington s ex-ample.In one case, the choice of wardrobe was a political statement
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
