Travis Whitmer
Period 5
Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalists DBQ
George Washington advised against them, for he thought they would be the downfall of America. Political parties arose from the differences of opinion in regards to Hamilton’s financial plan, and have extremely different ideas on how to interpret the Constitution. At the time of Jefferson’s presidency, the two major political parties were the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalists. The Jeffersonian Republicans (referred to later as simply Republicans) are characterized as strict constructionists, who took the Constitution at its literal word. In contrast, the Federalists had a broad interpretation of the document. During the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison, the Republicans remained strict on most issues. However they did broaden their view to pass foreign policy concerns, while the Federalist Party became more rigid in their interpretation in order to hold on to what little political power they possessed.
As soon as Jefferson entered office he took his party’s strict views and implemented them. He reduced the central government by cutting back on the army, navy, embassies, and the bureaucracy. Along with this he pardoned the people put in jail as a result of Adams’s alien and sedition acts. In a pre-presidential letter to a future cabinet member, Jefferson encouraged state’s rights by stating, “Our country is too large to have all its affairs directed by a single government…The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best that the states are independent as to everything within themselves, and united as to everything respecting foreign nation,” (Doc A) a fundamental principal of Republicans. The Republicans are also very strict when Madison vetoes the Internal Improvement Bill. In his message to Congress he explains why he vetoed a bill that would create roads and canals for commerce between states. “But seeing that such a power is not expressly given by the Constitution, and believing that it can not be deduced from any part of it without inadmissible latitude of construction… I have no option but to withhold my signature from it. (Doc H)” In layman’s terms, the only reason that he won’t sign the bill is because it’s not in the Constitution. Throughout Jefferson’s and Madison’s presidencies the Republican Party remained a party of strict constructionists.
