Before the Revolution, Americans commonly held that the role of government was to promote the public good. After Independence, merchants and other leaders advocated free trade and free markets, guided by self-interest, as an expression of freedom. Explain and discuss how this new concept of freedom for some Americans deprived freedom of some others.

The government has long had a problem with the words "promote the general welfare" in the Constitution.  The view of the "public good" has changed in American history, and after the Revolution, many wanted this view to include ways to help American manufacturers.  The idea was that American manufacturers would use American raw materials and employ American workers and that this would promote the "public good."  However, the market dictated that manufacturers could treat workers like the machinery—they were replaceable.  This meant that protectionist tariffs did promote American manufacturing, but American manufacturing did not create much freedom for those working in the factories.  
Also, many slaveowners were active participants in writing the Constitution.  No one viewed the "public good" as benefiting slaves.  The idea that many slaveowners had was that slavery helped the slave by teaching him/her the basics of Western life and Christianity.  This was another way that protecting American agricultural and business practices promoted an underclass in American culture.