Compare And Contrast Alexander Hamilton And Thomas Jefferson

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were key Founding Fathers of America who contributed to its freedom and independence. Both men were influential leaders of their time whose visions for the future of the country were clearly contrasting. Hamilton believed for a strong federal government and an economy based on banking. While Jefferson desired for a nation to be controlled by the states and its people. Their competing visions for the United States are still in debate until this day. Although Jefferson’s ideas were significant to America, many of Hamilton’s philosophy still holds in today’s government.

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.

Despite the fact the founding fathers advised contrary to the establishment of political factions as the Constitution withstood the ratification process, a rift amongst men in President George Washington’s cabinet instituted the move toward the conception of political party. During the time period between 1791 and 1833, a two-party system had begun that demonstrated the philosophy of the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. Although these two political groups were unyielding in their original ideas and beliefs, both had to change a few of their initial standpoints on numerous topics as they dealt with the truth of the government.

In the history of America, Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State, and Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, were two of the greatest leaders of our country. Although they both lead the country, that's where the similarities end as they had opposing views on everything. Jefferson was a republican while Hamilton was a federalist. Jefferson had been opposed to all of Hamilton's ideas, such as his financial plan, his interpretation of the powers of the government, his foreign policy, and his vision for the future of America. Jefferson was against Hamilton's views because his financial plan would ultimately destroy democracy in America, his interpretation of the powers of

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

Alexander Hamilton was a very influential leader at the time of the American Revolution and helped with many complications. When Hamilton was a young adult, he started out as George Washington’s consultant during the Revolutionary War, writing many documents and letters for him. In 1782, Alexander was chosen to be a representative for New York in Congress. Just a mere 2 years later, Hamilton began to serve in the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention. He saved the Convention from failing, by declaring another Convention the next year. Since Hamilton was the founder of the Federalist Party, he helped write the Federalist

Hamilton was a Federalist who believed in a strong, central government with a national bank. He also wanted to make alliances with Britain (Davis 86).

On September 19, 1796, George Washington began his Farewell Address. The Father of America was retiring, but he gave a crucial piece of advice before leaving. He warned the people not to create political parties since factions would split the nation and promote absolutism. Unfortunately, his own two advisors failed to follow his advice. Not long after Washington retired, American politics revolved around Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson represented the Jeffersonian Republicans while Hamilton was a federalist. Some people state that the Jeffersonians Republican Presidents Jefferson and Madison had beliefs and policies that often time reflected those of Hamilton's. This statement is accurate to a very little extent.

Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were completely at odds in their vision on how America was to develop. Hamilton wanted to concentrate power in a centralized federal government with limited access and Jefferson wished to diffuse it among all the eligible freemen of the time. Alexander Hamilton feared anarchy and distrusted popular rule while Jefferson feared tyranny and thought in terms of liberty and freedom.

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.

The political standings of Hamilton and Jefferson were the foundation and beginning of their lifelong arguments and disagreements. Hamilton was the leader

In 1790, the United States had just recently broke free from the British crown and united under the cause of liberty. But in spite of this, Americans saw political rifts brought about by the rise of political parties. The rise of political parties in 1790 was caused by general distrust, disagreements on policies, and constitutional disagreements between the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties, which were led by Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, respectively.

Seldom have two cabinet members serving together in the same administration disagreed so fundamentally on so many issues as Hamilton and Jefferson. They were indeed two great leaders in United States history.They both helped to shape America in their time However, these men had very different views on issues concerning government and government interaction with the American

Alexander Hamilton’s vision came closer to becoming a reality in the 1820’s. By the 1820’s, the Embargo Act, War of 1812 and the Panic of 1819 played a very important role in the reshaping of our countries economic development and scope and power of the American government. The conflict between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton visions was necessary and made a huge impact on the American development. The main topics of conflict between Thomas Jefferson was the type economy, how much of a role the government played in the lives of the people and how they felt about slavery and the growing black population in America.

Jefferson believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution while Hamilton believed in its loose interpretation. A classic example of this was the issue of the first US Bank and whether it was constitutional or not.