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The Federalists opposed them, saying they had been started by Citizen Genet as a tool of the revolutionary government in Paris. Members said they were inspired by the Sons Of Liberty , the Whig Clubs and other republican groups of the 1770s. The societies worked closely with anti-Federalist newspapers.

By 1796, most of the groups had disbanded. This was due in significant measure to a strong denunciation from President Washington following the successful quelling of the Whiskey Rebellion. Washington implied that the Democratic-Republican societies had played at least some role in promoting the unrest that led to the Whiskey uprising.

As educational organizations they had some impact. They believed that a republican nation required citizens to act together to deal with social problems at the grass roots. The mobilized citizenry was essential to defeat aristocracy (which they identified with Alexander Hamilton . In opposing rule by the few they helped define what rule by the many might be like. The believed in the free play of intelligence, and instisted upon their rights to freedom of speech, press, and assembly.


REFERENCES

  • Elkins, Stanley and Eric McKitrick. ''The Age of Federalism'' (1995)

  • Foner, Philip S. and Richard B. Morris eds. ''The Democratic-Republican Societies, 1790-1800: A Documentary Sourcebook of Constitutions, Declarations, Addresses, Resolutions, and Toasts'' (1976)

  • Link, Eugene Perry. ''Democratic-Republican Societies, 1790-1800'' (1942)

  • Schoenbachler, Matthew. ''Republicanism in the Age of Democratic Revolution: The Democratic-Republican Societies of the 1790s''. Journal of the Early Republic, Vol. 18, No. 2. (1998)

  • Wilentz, Sean. ''The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln'' (2005).