Factionalism in America Essay

After the development of the Constitution in 1787, President George Washington opposed political parties, although his Vice President, John Adams, and Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, were enthusiastic Federalists who actively contributed to the creation of parties. The Democratic-Republicans opposed a centralized government and believed that the states should hold more power than the national government. Federalists believed in creating a national bank, while the Democratic-Republicans were opposed to it. The government proposed acts and laws that affected domestic and foreign relations in hopes to stabilize the newly founded country. Foreign and domestic relations in the 1790s led to the final split into the two political parties,

People also feared that the superior leaders would take control and all decisions would be made by them. “...Not according to the rules of the justice and the rights to the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority”(Document A). The citizens believed that the majority leaders would take favor in one side, and the majority favor would win through force. This came to be true because the majority vote will normally win polls taken. “...It still will be a government, not according to the will of the people, but according to the will of a few”(Document F). Even though many people may take favor in one side, the favor of a few is what will cause the government to stay a government within the United States. A government cannot operate if their is not opposing or agreeing views with the decisions they make. This is the operation of a government within a republic

During the late 1700’s and the early 1800’s, the United States were constantly under stress from tensions within their country. During these years, the nation was experiencing change at a rapid rate. Increasing industrialization led to a booming growth in population and urbanization. During this time, there were many things that divided the country. Some of those things were small, others divided the nation.

The Federalists and the Republicans are the first two political parties in the US. They were divided because of the two’s difference in views. Alexander Hamilton and John Adams were the leaders of the Federalists. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were the leaders of the Republicans. In this essay, I will depict the Federalist and Republican views on foreign policy, the economy, and political control.

American politics has been dominated by a two-party system ever since George Washington retired to Mount Vernon, but the parties have changed, separated, and evolved dramatically as the nation was forced to struggle with new challenges at home and abroad. By 1816 the Federalist Party had dissolved, but Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party remained and continues to exist today as the Democratic Party. Over the years different parties have set foot in the

With America now in its very earliest days of being a new nation, any and all actions taken by the government would have lasting impacts on the development of the country and, going forward, would set a precedent for the future. After the Revolution and signing of the Declaration of Independence, America was no longer a sparse group of colonies aggregated along the Eastern coast. America was the start of something entirely new and profound to the modern world: democracy. Because of its hot and fiery origins, the founding fathers of America and intellectuals of the age — whether war veterans or legislators — were very much divided on the vision of America’s future. Thus, the roots of political parties were set in the course of American history forever. From the period 1789 to 1800, political parties developed from an insurmountable difference in opinion in leading a nation. These stark differences and

The great Abe Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” This describes the dangers and adversities America faced in the early stages of its development with the fighting going on between the two major political parties that were forming in the newborn government. The beginning of our country is an exciting tale, that tells many people coming together and fighting off the all-powerful England, a classic “David and Goliath” story. However, after the stunning victory for America, our Founding Fathers struggled to agree on what the future America should look like. The two main parties were the Federalists and the Republicans. Alexander Hamilton was the main founder of the Federalist party

Both Political parties federalists and Democratic- Republicans had their different beliefs. Washington disliked political parties. He notified that no political parties would separate the nation. The federalists wanted a strong federal,central government. They believed in a strong federal government. They wanted a bank and a federal army. Federalists saw that the nation’s economy was in a dreadful situation. They wanted to do business with England. Alexander Hamilton was their leader. Washington mostly supported their policies. They supported representative government led by stipulate elected leaders. Federalists saw as if “best” and “brightest” should lead the nation. The democratic-republicans believed in a strict reading of the constitution.

The early beginnings of political parties began with the initial establishment of the constitution and the two opposing beliefs on how it should be interpreted. The Federalist party, started by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton in 1787, believed in strong national government that supported financial stability and was favorable among businessmen and the northern half of the nation . The opposing party that developed around the same time were the Democratic Republicans headed by Thomas Jefferson. Their major beliefs revolved around ideas of a small national government that only exercises power necessary to keep things running and peoples rights protected. In general, supporters of this party were southern farmers. When Jefferson was elected president

It would be a falsity to claim that the United States was ruled primarily through the independent minds of its people. Rather, we can see the absolute appropriation of authority split between two parties; those ruled by the tiresome elephants or those who follow the jackasses. This system of division has been heavily disfavored by our Founding Fathers, especially by John Adams who had stated in his letter to Jonathan Jackson that, “There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties…” (Adams, John). The evidence for this issue in todays culture is everywhere; from legislative wars between the executive and legislative branches, strong discourse among the people, and of course those campaigning against one another based on how they interpret marriage. This undeniable rise of partisan antipathy can be seen in Carroll Doherty’s article 7 things to know about polarization in America where recent PEW studies showcase that strong resentment within the Democratic and Republican parties towards each other has just about doubled within the last two decades alone (Doherty, Carroll). A situation that has caused much strife as it slows down the march of progress and implementation of proper legislation due to the lack of compromise this particular way of thinking promotes. Uprooting this tired system will require a solid understanding of its early development, an examination of its advantages and disadvantages in modern politics, and the

There is, in this country presently, an ultimate, lingering atmosphere of tension and hostility caused by the political parties. Like static, it makes your hair stand on end and your nerves begin to jitter, afraid to touch anything or anyone in case of that sudden shock. Politics are not spoken of with acquaintances and friends in fear of driving them away with your different opinions. Different opinions are quickly slandered as tyrannical or unconstitutional. This is the prelude to the storm. The Republicans and Democrats have created an identity crisis in the United States, pitting us against them, us against the other party. How? History teacher Michael Blood says “People stick with a party because of their opinion on a singular issue. If their opinion on this issue is supported by the party, then the people will align themselves with that party. Politicians use these single-issue voters to remain in office.” These mercenary voters are victims of an attitude of petty sectionalism, an attitude that is too similar to the party divisions that were so potent in the shattering of our state in the Civil War. It has created a magnetic push away from necessary, healthy discussion. It is the fruit of

In 1790s, political parties called the Federalist and Republicans were establishing to grant a persistent division of nationally organized government that led to what we have today in the United States (Bethel University, 2004). Both parties divided the people based on wealth, power, diplomatic support, and opposing concerns of how the government should be ingrained in America. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton both had deep-rooted convictions on how the political state of our country should be handled and managed. This led to the separation of the people who would either support the Federalist or the Republicans.

The evolution of the first American political party system was prompted due to many issues. The people divided themselves because some believed that the new Constitution should have been adopted immediately and the other group objected to that plan and wanted to keep their original Constitution. The Federalists wanted more power in their government, but the Democratic Republicans believed that they needed to be limited when it comes to their government. Federalists coudnt overcome disunity ad more and more movd their support from the Federalists to the

John Adams, an American trailblazer, once said, “There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.” Political parties have immensely evolved since the late 1700’s. From Federalists versus Anti-Federalists, Federalists versus Democratic-Republican, and the most notorious pair, Democrats versus Republicans. These parties have been through a multitude of changes, but are they more detrimental than beneficial?

"It's a reflection of the political dynamic in America, where we don't look at America as a whole. We look at it through the red and blue prism” (Taylor, 1). The red and blue prism that Senator Olympia Snowe is referring to is the political parties that function in the United States. The current existence of political parties in America is a hindrance to effective representation of the people. Because of the lack of bipartisanship between the parties in Congress, the absence of compromise leads to gridlock in regards to passing legislations by members of Congress. In this paper, I will argue how the strengthening of political parties’ polarization in America—and the priority of party over constituents—contributed to a lack of effective