Introduction
Historiography
The Ineffectiveness of the Revolution
The Economic Impact of the Revolution
Enjoying Post-Revolutionary Success
Understanding Self in the early Nineteenth Century
The Blossoming of a New Nation, as Understood in Baltimore
The War of 1812 as a catalyst
The Battle of Baltimore
The aftermath of the Battle
Embodying Identity
Reaching the Average Citizen
Following Rome: Architecture
A quest for a truer classicism
The architects and their works
The new city
In Print
Education
The Peale Museum
Introduction
Following the wake of the Revolution, the former American colonies began to fuse together to form a new nation. This formative period in the history of the United States witnessed the legendary "melting pot" of Crevecoeur's lore. While one Frenchman may have been impressed by this cultural synthesis, Marylanders found themselves confronted with a host of conflicting ideals and values. On one hand a large sector of the population consisted of strong anglophiles who upheld traditional notions of aristocracy, and yet were at the same time among the most fervent believers in the values espoused by the Founding Fathers.
(Political Problems?)
For the small port Baltimore Town, the War for Independence offered great economic opportunity and little violence, unlike the experience of most other cities across the colonies. Thus Baltimoreans did not share in the war experience in the same way as did the majority of their compatriots. Consequentially the fruits borne from that War also differed. While the former colonies began to understand themselves as states in new nation, Maryland lagged behind in developing a strong feeling of national consciousness. Pride in one’s personal achievements, family lands, clipper ship, or hometown, was stronger that a national pride.
By the opening of the nineteenth century, however, this development of national identity came into clearer view. In a little over a decade, Baltimore found itself embroiled in “the Second War for Independence,” as many understood it: the War of 1812.
Unlike the Revolution, this war hit home, in more way than one. Baltimore seamen found themselves in constant conflict with the Royal Navy and in September 0f 1814 the Redcoats came right up to the doorstep of the city and threatened total annihilation. This intense personal contact with and experience of the War of 1812 catalyzed the development of a national consciousness in a truly revolutionary way in the city and surrounding areas. The impact of the war, and particularly the Battle of Baltimore, transformed people in such way that it appears that Baltimoreans of all rank embraced and participated in this new perspective of understanding themselves, not only as individual persons associated with particular trades, families or towns, but in an ever increasing way as Americans with a real and true relation to not only their home, but to their country.
To express their conception of identity, Baltimoreans fashioned those things which surrounded them, from words to buildings.
The seeds for this movement had been planted by the War for Independence and had already begun to manifest themselves prior to the War of 1812; however,
in the years following the war, Baltimore experienced
Historiography
Present day scholarship on colonial Baltimore as well as the period from the Revolution up to the War of 1812 is nonexistent, which poses a considerable problem for any attempts to compare that time to the War of 1812. There are some older works; the best that exist were written by local historians in the nineteenth century. In discussing the matter with the chief Maryland librarian at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore, he agreed that material on this period is hard to come by. The best he could offer to assist my quest was Schraf's 1879 History of Maryland from the Earliest Days. Fortunately Francis Scott Key secured the study of the Battle of Baltimore and War of 1812. A small canon of works on this subject can be found quite easily; however even these works are not the most useful since they tend to be strictly military histories.
My interest, however, is not in the movement of troops, but in the movement of feeling and thought. Therefore I have looked outside of the immediate locale to the broader setting of the country and the expression and understanding of national identity there.
Philip Deloria’s Playing Indian and David Waldstreicher’s In the Midst of Perpetual Fetes have been particularly helpful in indentifying expressions and memorializations of self.
The Ineffectiveness of the Revolution
It would be far from the truth to claim that the War for Independence did not have impact Maryland. However, while it may have been a "Revolution" to "America" at large, it hardly revolutionized Maryland in terms of national identity. The experience of Maryland was a far cry from Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and the other colonies. Baltimore Town was little more than a sleepy tobacco port for most of the Eighteenth Century, and therefore was not a major target for the British forces.
Baltimoreans hardly experienced the same effects as their brethren in Boston or ----. They lacked the experience of fighting the redcoats on the doorsteps of their homes.
While the Revolutionary experience earned Maryland the nickname “The Old Line State” for the steadfastness of the Maryland militia, the Maryland line did not defend Maryland soil.
Baltimore hosts the Second Continental Congress for 3 months in 1776 because the movement of British troops across New Jersey brought them too close to Philadelphia for the comfort of the Congress.
Proceedings of the Congress during the brief stay in Baltimore did have a great impact on the nation as a whole. Washington’s powers were increased and he became the de facto leader of the nation. However, this had little effect on the common Baltimorean.
A monument to those Marylanders who fought in the Revolution was never erected.
The Economic Impact of the Revolution
While the War for Independence may not have had an immediate impact in the formation of an understanding of national identity in Baltimore, the Revolution brought a unique economic opportunity to the city, which would pave the way for its development in the coming decades.
"In the late 1750s…Baltimore was a tiny tobacco port on the Patapsco River, with only a handful of houses. Forty years later the city would assume its place as the second largest in the nation, a position it would hold until the Erie Canal brought New York to the fore in the 1830s. (Classical Maryland, 1)"
With the British blockading the colonies' major ports of Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, and the necessity of importation present, smaller ports snatched at the opportunity to pick up the other cities' lost business, and Baltimore was at their head. Soon the city, with its unique Clipper Ships (MORE ON THE CLIPPER?) held a monopoly on (CM 4-5)
-ship building
-privateering
-in the following decades, Baltimoreans would look back on their exploits on the clippers as privateers and this became a strong point of identification. (Which lasts even up to the present day)
Running food, guns and other supplies.
Post-Revolutionary Success
Baltimore Town was incorporated with Jones Town on the last day of the year, 1796 to become Baltimore City.
This economic growth in Maryland creates patrons for the city. The ‘first families of Maryland,’ more firmly establish themselves during this period. The families that had already been established during the colonial period are influential in agriculture, politics and industry. They are joined by younger compatriots who make their money through shipping, privateering and other business ventures.
“A boom in building was inevitable; while housing had kept up with the growth in population, public and commercial facilities had lagged (A.5).”
War 1812
British on the Doorstep
Fine defend of St Michael’s (field book 944)
Following Rome: Architecture
During this period three main architects left their mark on the city; but not without the people of Baltimore having their say. Maximilian Godefroy, Benjamin Latrobe, and Robert Mills designed many of the most important public buildings of the city erected during this time, as well as the city's two chief monuments: the Battle Monument and the Washington Monument. These structures became the face of the city and reflected the past, present and aspirations of its citizens.
Searching for a Truer Classicism
In the 1790s the predominate style was based the Georgian architecture popular in England. Deeply rooted in classical architecture, the Georgian style defined itself by balance and symmetry and largely followed in the footsteps of the sixteenth century Italian architect Andrea Palladio in reflecting the forms of Greek and Roman antiquity.
Hampton Mansion, just north of Baltimore, is a fine example of such design. Built over a seven year period ending in 1790 by Captain Charles Ridgely, it captures many of the most iconic elements of Georgian architecture. It is very balanced, perfectly symmetrical, with even the front and back of the house mirroring each other in appearance.
Typical central portico with pediment,
Observers have noted that the front elevation of Hampton resembles that of Castle Howard of Yorkshire, England, in its elements. Hampton is undoubtedly simpler and of a much humbler class than its British cousin. Certainly there are many differences; however, proportionally they are nearly identical.
The portico of Howard is enclosed, but bears the classical pediment. Its dome is heavier, not nearly as airy as Hampton’s.
The construction of Howard began nearly a century before Hampton.
Like Hampton, the dome was an addition postdating initial plans. Howard also loses its symmetry.
Hampton is distinctly America, but at the same time bears heavy traces of British influence.
In many ways, this physical transformation from the Georgian style to a more pure neo-classical form correlates to the intellectual and ideological shifts of the time.
Palladian is no longer in vogue, neither back in Europe or in America.
The Architects
Latrobe
Latrobe was born in England
Most famous for his redesign of the Capitol and
Monumental
The same year 2 monuments would be erected: one to George Washington, and one in memory of the Battle of Baltimore. No major monument had been erected before then, and none would follow, except for a small marker to one of the Defenders, until thirty-five years later when Baltimoreans decided to erect yet another monument to the heroes of the Battle of Baltimore. Then seven years later came yet another monument to Washington. Only a full fifty years after the commencement of the first two monuments was a monument erected in honor of something else besides George Washington of the Defenders of Baltimore.
WAS BALTIMORE REALLY THE FIRST CITY TO ERECT MOMUMENTS?\
Aquila Randall
Local historian Christopher George
Armistead (field book)
Other places did not get around until later (Ft Niagra, Queenston Monument)
Ft Stephenson 1885
Godefroy
Maximilian Godefroy was one of the most popular and influential architects in Baltimore between1810-1820.
Born in 1765 in Paris, Godefroy experienced the turmoil of the French Revolution first hand. In 1803 he was arrested and held prisoner without trial for nearly two years for allegedly holding ideals contrary to the Napoleonic regime. In 1805 he sailed in exile to the United States and arrived in Baltimore in December of that year.
“The period from 1805 to 1819 he spent largely in Baltimore, where he moved in an intellectual and cultured society to which his education, taste and wit gave him entrée. From this select group of friends came most of his clients and supporters. Yet even their power and resources were limited, and in 1819 Godefroy returned to Europe.”
Godefroy was particularly concerned with the appearance of his buildings and the impressions he was making on others through them
In “Public Memorial and Godefroy’s Battle Monument,” Robert Alexander labels Godefroy’s Battle Monument “a Revolutionary monument” in the sense that “the Public Memorial as we know it is essentially a creation of the Revolutionary age in France.” *behind the times*
Alexander identifies two artistic sources of the Revolutionary monuments: the obelisk or column and sepulchral imagery, the latter of which was preferred in France.
Mills
Godefroy asked to do the Washington Monument in 1809-1810, but none of his designs were accepted. (20-21 Smithsonian article)
American Robert Mills' design is accepted. (22)
The Battle monument was commissioned within a year of the Battle.
The monument will go on to become one of the defining symbols of the City. Today it appears on the city flag and seal.
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