Creating the United States

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An essential element of the revolutionary period was the debate over independence and the future plan of government. Both Thomas Paine and John Adams sought a republic, but Paine wanted a purely representative government consisting of a unicameral (one-house) legislature and no executive. In contrast, Adams favored a government with a strong executive and bicameral (two-house) legislature to provide a system of checks and balances. They presented their ideas in the displayed works.