Why did the Democratic societies arouse the fear of President Washington?
A) Washington had not yet accepted the idea that an organized loyal opposition was part of a free government; therefore, he believed that political dissent was a sign of subversion.
B) Members of these societies threatened to engage in terrorist tactics to undermine the government and the Constitution.
C) Their pro-democracy demonstrations seemed to challenge the legitimacy and sovereignty of the United States government.
D) Washington was very disturbed by the fact that these groups called for a violent overthrow of the United States government.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

President Washington was concerned that organized political opposition was a threat to the stability of the government and believed that political dissent could lead to subversion. He had not yet accepted the idea that a loyal opposition was a necessary part of a free government. While some members of the Democratic societies may have made radical statements, there is no evidence that they threatened to engage in terrorist tactics or called for violent overthrow of the government. The pro-democracy demonstrations did not necessarily challenge the legitimacy and sovereignty of the government, but rather sought to expand democratic participation and representation.

Why Did the Democratic Societies Arouse the Fear of President