Hello and welcome to a history of the United States, episode 176, Cuba's Town.

Last time out, we followed the story of Daniel Boone as a microcosm of the early

westward expansion, initially as he travelled with Washington to the French Fort De Cain,

now Pittsburgh, and then through the foundation of Kentucky and later Missouri.

We looked at how brutal, contradictory and often unsatisfying the experience was.

These will be themes that will come to again and again.

This week, we're going to look at how the federal government was responding

to the move west. Not for the first time, we are very fortunate to have the Federalist

papers. In them, Hamilton and Madison spell out their thinking in some depth, and of course,

John Jay helped out.

We can't forget Jay.

In Federalist Paper, 38, Madison goes on a bit of an excursion talking about the West,

and I think it will be helpful for us to go through the passage.

Quote,

Out of this lifeless mess

has already grown

an

exerent power

which tends to realize

all the dangers

that can be apprehended

from a defective construction

...