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Difference Between Federalist And Anti Federalists

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It is due to the powerful leaders that guided America that the country has become as prosperous as it is. These leaders include: George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. All of these men had to make multiple difficult decisions in order to satisfy the country as a whole. Their quick and logical thinking is what established a stable government in the United States of America.
Subsequent to the American Revolution, the new country unanimously elected George Washington to become the first president of the USA. Two of the changes that Washington initially made were the Judiciary Act of 1789, which in essence defined what the court’s powers were, as well as the formation of the executive departments or, cabinets. Additionally, Washington's …show more content…

One of the main differences between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists was that the Anti-Federalists believed in strict construction of the Constitution, which meant that the central government was not allowed to do more than what the Constitution said. While the Federalists believed in loose construction, which meant that the central government could do more than what was listed in the Constitution. One main instance in which this came into issue was during the Louisiana Purchase. In 1801 when Spain returned the Louisiana territory to France, president Jefferson was worried that Napoleon and the French would want to use the Mississippi River and develop the territory. Jefferson sent James Monroe to help negotiate the purchase of New Orleans for $10 million; however, Napoleon instead offered the entire Louisiana territory for a mere $15 million. This was such a great offer that Jefferson did not even consult with Congress, he straight away bought the land. The Constitution did not grant the executive branch the power to purchase land. By buying the land, Jefferson had clearly gone against the strict interpretation of the Constitution; however, he did what he felt would be the best for the country. Jefferson breaking from his Anti-Federalist ways united the two factions and led to a more stable

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