1779: A Radical Alteration In American Thought

By 1817 the great American experiment was in full swing. America was developing into an effective democratic nation. However as the democracy continued to grow, two opposing political parties developed, the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalists. The Jeffersonian Republicans believed in strong state governments, a weak central government, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. The Federalists saw it differently. They opted for a powerful central government with weaker state governments, and a loose interpretation of the Constitution. The seemingly solid divide between Federalist and Republican would begin to blur during the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. For, neither Republican president was able lead

The American Revolution had a very intense fundamental change on American society between the years 1775 to 1800. The thirst for independence resulted in the revolution which caused many political, social, and economic changes. When the revolution began, the people were drowning in jingoism, and after the seven years of fighting for our independence, several changes had to be made. Although some political, social, and economic parts of society seem to have remained the same, America experienced drastic fundamental changes throughout these years and set the standards for even more changes to come.

Conflicting views and contrasting ideologies have always existed throughout the history of United States politics. Alexander Hamilton, who led Federalist Party, believed that a powerful central government was necessary while Thomas Jefferson, who led the Jeffersonian Republican Party, favored an agrarian nation with most of the power left to the states. Although Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were similar in that they both harbored good intentions and tried to keep the best interests in mind for the future of the United States, their policies were drastically different. Without doubt, both of their contrasting ideas served a vital role in forming the government.

The American Revolution was the point of change in the world. It was the first time that a democratic government was developed and tested in a time where monarchies ruled Europe and it was the time when the world saw that the concept of democracy could lead to the fundamental change in society, specifically politically, socially, and economically. However, even though it was the point in change for the world, to what extent did it change American society politically, socially, and economically in the period between 1775-1800? The answer is that political, social, and economic effects of the American Revolution impacted society to different extents and established ideas that would later influence future movements and changes in America.

First, when the political parties emerged in the 1790’s it was evident that their ideologies were vastly different. The Republican Party wanted a representative form of government that functioned “in the interest of the people.” This party, led by Thomas Jefferson, supported a limited central government, with individual states retaining a majority of the control. Jefferson’s vision was for a nation of farmers, and farmers do not need big government to survive. They feared a large central government would take away the rights of the people. On the other hand, the Federalist Party, led by Alexander Hamilton, supported a strong central government that would pursue policies in support of economic growth, which in turn would provide the freedom the people wanted. Hamilton’s followers also supported a diverse economy.1 It is important to note here however, that both parties knew they would have to become national parties in order to win any elections and both parties had followers in the north and in the south. There was no sectional divide in the parties.

During the last decade of the eighteenth century, the Federalists were in control of the country and its policies. They passed laws to make a strong central government and some of them even desired for there to be a kind of landowner aristocracy. Their power soon began to erode from within as different factions headed by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton greatly weakened the party's effectiveness and power. They alienated themselves in the eyes of the population by passing the Alien and Sedition acts. This led to the election of Thomas Jefferson as president in 1800, who described his election as a second revolution. Jefferson and his supporters were now able to try to bring about their dream of making America an agrarian republic of small

The book A Magnificent Catastrophe, by Edward J. Larson, narrates a story about how dirty and devious America’s first presidential campaign of 1800, how it became the most powerful election and how it molded America’s future in today’s society. Adams and Jefferson two great friends that shared one common goal. It is to obtain America’s freedom against the motherland Great Britain. They have remained close coworkers and friends throughout the American Revolution, but then in the 1800 each went thru their separate ways and had their own political parties and different ideologies. One believed that solitary “effective central government led by a powerful president could forge a stable, secure nation from a multiple of weak, wrangling states” (Larson, 2007, 17) and called themselves Federalist led by John Adams. Adams believed that America should have only one strong influential president that is in control of the nation. He does not want to give people too much power because he does not want them to have a lot of freedom. On the other hand, one wants America to be the “land of free, prosperous farmers and workers” (Larson, 2007, 17) called themselves Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson saw America as a country that is for the people. The people of the U.S is the President and that all people are born with individual rights. An individual rights that the government couldn’t restrict just because they wanted to control the people and create a central government. The

In the year of 1800, Jefferson ran for the second time averse to former president, John Adams but unlike the previous election, John Adams wins the presidency, Jefferson was able to defeat John Adams. The Adams lost the election due to passing the Alien and Sedition Acts, Considered unconstitutional laws because the Acts took away the first amendment, freedom of speech. Jefferson was a more promising choice as he promised to have a “Republican Revolution”, Jefferson promised to help the yeoman farmer and decrease the Federal debt the United States had at the time period. Jefferson’s presidency was to a certain extent a “Republican Revolution” and to a certain extent it was a Federalist Continuation.

The 1800 realignment was the decline of the Federalist party and the rise of the Democrats and the Republicans. The federalist lost a lot of seats in Congress and had a hard time competing for the Presidency and in 1820 didn’t run a candidate in the 1820 election. The Hamiltonians and the Jeffersonians squared of over the scope and power of the federal government. The Hamiltonians were in favor of federal government and executive power and the Jeffersonians in favor of state government and legislative power.

The opening of the nineteenth century found Thomas Jefferson and James Madison at the forefront of Democratic-Republican party. As the third and fourth presidents of the United States, respectively, Jefferson and Madison held together a country divided by issues such as foreign policy disputes and political sectionalism. Largely supported by Southern farmers and plantation owners, they aimed to strengthen their country through a rigid interpretation of the Constitution. Strict constructionist Democratic-Republicans believed in limiting the strength of the federal government and preserving the rights of the states. They opposed the broad constructionist Federalists, who preferred a loose interpretation of the Constitution—meaning that the government could assume powers not explicitly stated or prohibited in the Constitution. These Federalists also favored a strong, central government to ensure order and organization throughout the country. Jefferson’s election, deemed the “Revolution of 1800,” was a peaceful transfer of power from the former and last Federalist president, John Adams, to the new Democratic-Republican leader. But with this transfer of power came a shift in policies for both parties. Changing circumstances, as well as political and economic pressures, caused both presidents to compromise their beliefs in order to benefit the country; during their presidencies, they behaved as Democratic-Republicans in some respects and as Federalists in other areas. Though

The American revolution took place in the time frame of 1765 and 1783. The reason was because of the feud with the thirteen American colonies and the British government. The Americans went to war with the British and won their freedom, but how much actually changed for the Americans?

Throughout the period of 1790 to 1825, Thomas Jefferson and his party of Republicans often had differing ideals than Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists. During this time, Federalists had a desire for a strong central government and trade rights. Jefferson and his Republicans, on the other hand, were strong advocates for state power against the tyrannical central government. As a prominent politician, Jefferson spoke out against Hamilton ideas such as a national bank; when Jefferson became president, however, some of his views change and seem to reflect those of Hamilton.

To achieve this they ratified the Articles of the Confederation. The ideas that made up the Articles of the Confederation ended up turning the dream of a functioning government into somewhat of a nightmare. The state and federal governments had no authority to tax citizens, and no concept of an executive branch. These flaws caused many issues which are explained in a letter written by Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson in 1787 (Doc. G). The letter stated that there was serious civil unrest within many areas of the United States, and that the government may not have been strong enough to suppress rebellions, and guarantee stability.

Though both Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson served as members of President Washington’s cabinet, the two held very different views on the newly founded U.S. government, interpretation of its constitution, and the role of the “masses” in that government. These conflicting views would develop in two political parties, the Federalists led by Hamilton and the Democratic-Republicans led by Jefferson. Although both political parties presented enticing aspects, Hamilton’s views were much more reasonable and fruitful when compared Jefferson’s views; idealistic and too strict in reference to the constitution.

Traditionally, Federalists advocated for a strong central government while the others would fight for strong state governments. Since New Englanders was where the majority of Federalists were, New England should still be advocating for a strong central government. Well they did just the opposite in 1814 at the Hartford Convention. At the Hartford Convention, New England was looking to decrease the power of Congress by cutting what they could do. Consequently, the ideas that were brought forward at the convention, were all things that happened within the last 10-15 years that either Jefferson or Madison had done (Document E). For example, they said that Congress could not add new states, even though this was shortly after the Louisiana Purchase. Another example is that the Convention concluded that Congress could not put an embargo in place. Jefferson was someone who was for states rights when it came to religion. He is for the separation of church and state, as he said that the government is not allowed to make religious choices for the people (Document B). In (Document A), Jefferson talks about how they should follow a strict constitution, but later on he changes his mind by doing things like purchasing