The Jeffersonian Republicans and Federalists
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 nation with purely republican ideals.
In 1800 Jefferson entered office with the intention to move away from the Federalist policies of Washington and Adams and to put the nation onto a path......
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Approximate Word Count: 1199
Approximate Pages: 5 (260 words per double-spaced page) |