Religion, Ethnicity, and Politics

Religion, Ethnicity, and Politics, Volume 1, provides a rigorous examination of the intense ratification battles in Pennsylvania following the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Owen S. Ireland challenges the traditional view that the Federalist victory was merely a triumph of the elite over the masses. Instead, this work of constitutional history demonstrates that the political landscape was shaped by deep-seated partisan attachments. The author utilizes extensive quantitative research to show how religious and ethnic identities drove the conflict between Federalists and Antifederalists during this transformative era of United States history.

This scholarly study focuses on the intersection of politics and government within Pennsylvania. Ireland argues that the opposition to the new constitution was largely fueled by Presbyterian-led Constitutionalists and specific ethnic groups, such as Scots-Irish and German Reformed voters. By analyzing these social divisions, the book offers a nuanced perspective on the economic conditions and social structures of the late eighteenth century. Religion, Ethnicity, and Politics, Volume 1, remains a significant contribution to the study of American constitutional conventions.