The Philosophies of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson

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Preface The argument between Federalists and Anti-Federalists might seem long gone to American citizens, but still their philosophical foundations shape the teams, scope and size of the battlefield. These philosophies go back to two lone men, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Both fought aggressively for a government based on their ideas, and both did make portions of the now-standing American government. This essay will outline the political, social and economic philosophies of both men, how their philosophies influenced the government today, and a closing opinion. Politics The political standings of Hamilton and Jefferson were the foundation and beginning of their lifelong arguments and disagreements. Hamilton was the leader and founder of the Federalists, whereas Thomas Jefferson was an Anti-Federalist. These were the first two American parties, and the core question that created them was: how strong should the central government be? Hamilton argued for a stronger central government, whereas Jefferson favored a weaker, decentralized government. This core concept influenced the policies they sponsored, their ideologies, our government, and how the constitution is, was, and just might always be viewed. A notable example of their differences was how Hamilton and Jefferson argued about how the federal government should interpret the Constitution. Jefferson wished for the Constitution to be read in as literal a sense as possible and limited the implied powers of Congress, a process called Strict Construction. Hamilton, as always with Jefferson's ideas, disagreed with this. Hamilton advocated for Broad Construction, the belief that Congress is allowed to exercise their implied powers. Their unique interpretations of the Co... ... middle of paper ... ... not only makes him racist, but it also shows that, according to Jefferson, not all men are created equal. Thus, I cannot perceive Jefferson to be better to Hamilton. Both were truthful, intelligent men who helped to shape our nation, but I cannot comprehend the hypocrasies of Jefferson. Works Cited 1. http://people.brandeis.edu/~woll/hamiltonphilgovt%26admin.pdf 2. http://www.ushistory.org/us/18b.asp 3. http://www.lexrex.com/bios/ahamilton.htm 4. http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/jefferson/section6.rhtml 5. https://teacher.ocps.net/stephen.hansen/APUSH%20Notes/Hamilton%20v.%20Jefferson.pdf 6. http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/people/hamilton-alexander-federalist-leader.html 7. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/duel/peopleevents/pande05.html 8. http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/hamilton/section5.rhtml 9. http://www.historytools.org/sources/Jefferson-Race.pdf

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