the most meaningful dinner party in American history[1]
- Joseph Ellis, Pulitzer Prize Historian
The Compromise of 1790 was the first of three great compromises made by the North and South every thirty years in an attempt to keep the Union together and prevent civil war.[2]
Thesis
The Compromise of 1790 was one of the most influential bargains in American history: by settling the issues of assumption and residence, it prevented an early disunion of the nation while also paving the way for the future success of Alexander Hamilton’s financial system. Despite these positive outcomes, the deal set a dangerous precedent for future North-South compromises by suggesting that all disagreements could be settled through mutual concessions.
Clip from "Hamiltons America | The Dinner Party Compromise of 1790," PBS LearningMedia.
