Strict/Loose Jacksonian Democracy

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Based on the following doctrines, I believe the extent of characterization of the two parties was not completely accurate during the presidencies of Madison and Jefferson, because of key pieces of evidence that proves inconsistencies during the period between 1801 and 1817. In the following essay, I will provide information supporting my thesis, which describes the changing feelings by each party and the reasoning behind such changes.

The Democratic/Republican party proved to be both strict and loose in their adhering to the documents in many ways. The Democratic/Republican party was known for being "strict" in following the document writings, and they didn't change their opinions much. For example, in Document A, Thomas Jefferson stated that "our country is too large to have all its affairs directed by a single government". Democratic/Republicans believed that the states should control themselves instead of following rules under one national government. "The state's rights should be preserved unquestionably."

The Democratic/Republican party proved to be even more strict in Document B, where Jefferson chooses to say that the government should have no power in dictating religious exercizes, giving rights the the people. The power of religious practices should be ruled by each state themselves, not the national government. The Jeffersonian Republicans strictness was demonstrated with the political cartoon concerning the Embargo Act of 1807, where it protests the Democratic/Republicans. Thomas Jefferson vetoed this Act, because he felt the embargos hurt the New England trade. The cartoon, known as "OGRABME" (embargo backwards) or "The American Snapping Turtle", shows an American trader trying to embargo supplies onto a Brit...

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...time. For example, in Document D, when federalist Daniel Webster talks about the the cruel ways of James Madison and the Secretary of War (meaning drafting men from the Militita to the Regular Army), you must stop and think: aren't the federalists for a strong military? In fact they are, but here, a federalist is criticizing the other party for wanting to strenghten the military. If they wanted to be like the British, they would want a strong military and navy no matter what.

All of these documents prove that both parties had an unequal distribution between both strict and loose constructionism. Neither of them were completely equal on what their party stood for. During this period of time, both parties changed, sometimes siding with the other party, The Democratic/Republicans did not always follow their views, nor did the Federalists, answering my stated thesis.

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