American constitution-building split between balanced-government and unicameral-populist camps from the start.

Evidence

His ardor on this point appeared in his evolving opinion of Paine’s Common Sense, which Adams went from endorsing in February for its clear, concise “vindication” of independence to denouncing in May for its “crude, ignorant Notions of a Government by one Assembly, which will do more Mischief, in dividing the Friends of Liberty, than all the Tory Writings together.” … Conservative patriots leaned on Adams while populists inclined toward Paine. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 171

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Foundations-of-Law debates about competing republican models; also the split between federalist balanced-power and populist single-assembly thinking in coursework. — connects to: Montesquieu’s separation of powers shaped the American Constitution; The Constitution was designed to curb, not maximize, political engagement. — Philip Chase Bobbitt, Reflections Inspired by My Critics, 302

Broader Connections

• Montesquieu’s separation of powers shaped the American Constitution #expands (0.85)
• The Constitution was designed to curb, not maximize, political engagement. #expands (0.80) — Philip Chase Bobbitt, Reflections Inspired by My Critics, 302