ethics and civics

The context that had created and supported the Jeffersonian world view (that of the yeomanfarmer as the bedrock of American democracy and the American economy) disappeared by the mid-nineteenth century, prompted by a shift toward an economy based on commerce, manufacturing, and larger scale agricultural endeavors. What is your best explanation for why this change took place? What impact did this change have upon the ethics and civics of what it meant to be an American? Be sure to consider change over time and geographical differences in your analysis.