United States, 1789–1815

Democracy · Republic · North America · Age of Revolutions era

The early American republic under the new Constitution, building federal institutions, party competition and westward expansion as a slaveholding republic.

Under the 1789 Constitution the United States built federal institutions – a presidency, courts, a treasury and a funded debt – while the first party system pitted Federalists against Jeffersonian Republicans over the scope of central power. Suffrage, though limited and racialized, was broad among white men, and power transferred peacefully in 1801. The republic expanded west, doubling in size with the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, while slavery persisted and grew.

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Dominant patterns

  • Democratization

Political-science factor profile

Each factor 0–100; higher = stronger authoritarian / crisis pole (except institutional stability, where higher = stronger institutions).

Centralization of Power38
Media Control25
Repression30
Nationalism55
Militarization45
Economic Stress40
External Conflict55
Cult of Personality30
Elite Fragmentation55
Institutions65
Social Polarization55
Corruption & Patrimonialism35
Ideological Mobilization45
External Sovereignty95

Economy & society

GDP per capita$1800 (intl-$)
GDP growth+1%/yr
Population7.0M people
Share of world population0.78%
Territory~2.1M km²
Capital population~8000

Closest historical twins

The country-eras whose structural profile most resembles United States 1789–1815, by similarity score (0–100).

  1. United States, 1865–1898 – similarity 91/100 · shared: Democratization
  2. United Kingdom, 1815–1837 – similarity 89/100 · shared: Democratization
  3. India, 1998–2009 – similarity 87/100 · shared: Democratization
  4. United States, 1993–2001 – similarity 83/100 · shared: Democratization
  5. United States, 1898–1917 – similarity 83/100 · shared: Democratization
  6. India, 1947–1966 – similarity 83/100 · shared: Democratization
  7. United Kingdom, 2010–2016 – similarity 81/100 · shared: Democratization
  8. United Kingdom, 1918–1931 – similarity 80/100 · shared: Democratization

What followed

  • A constitutional federal republic with expanding suffrage.
  • The Louisiana Purchase and westward growth.