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====Historiography====
====Historiography====
For a century historians have debated how important republicanism was to the Founding Fathers. The interpretation before 1960, following [[Progressive Era]] historians such as [[Charles Beard]], [[Vernon L. Parrington]] and [[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.]], downplayed rhetoric as superficial and looked for economic motivations. Louis Hartz refined the position in the 1950s, arguing [[John Locke]] was the most important source because his property-oriented [[liberalism]] supported the materialistic goals of Americans.
For a century historians have debated how important republicanism was to the Founding Fathers. The interpretation before 1960, following [[Progressive Era]] historians such as [[Charles Beard]], [[Vernon L. Parrington]] and Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr., downplayed rhetoric as superficial and looked for economic motivations. Louis Hartz refined the position in the 1950s, arguing [[John Locke]] was the most important source because his property-oriented [[liberalism]] supported the materialistic goals of Americans.
In the 1960s and 1970s, two new schools emerged that emphasized the primacy of ideas as motivating forces in history (rather than material self-interest). The "Cambridge School" led by [[Bernard Bailyn]] and Gordon Wood and the "St. Louis School" led by J.G.A. Pocock emphasized slightly different approaches to republicanism.<ref>Rodgers (1992)</ref> However, some scholars, especially Isaac Kramnick continue to emphasize Locke, arguing that Americans are fundamentally individualistic and not devoted to civic virtue. The relative importance of republicanism and liberalism remains a topic of debate among historians.
In the 1960s and 1970s, two new schools emerged that emphasized the primacy of ideas as motivating forces in history (rather than material self-interest). The "Cambridge School" led by [[Bernard Bailyn]] and Gordon Wood and the "St. Louis School" led by J.G.A. Pocock emphasized slightly different approaches to republicanism.<ref>Rodgers (1992)</ref> However, some scholars, especially Isaac Kramnick continue to emphasize Locke, arguing that Americans are fundamentally individualistic and not devoted to civic virtue. The relative importance of republicanism and liberalism remains a topic of debate among historians.