AP US History

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AP US History As the colonies of America further widened the gap with their mother country and began to develop into a successful democratic nation, numerous political changes occurred. With this gap, a democracy began to emerge in the form of two political parties. These were the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalists. The parties came to be characterized by certain beliefs, and the validity of those principles would come to be questioned during the Jefferson and Madison presidencies. During the time period from 1801 to 1817 the Jeffersonian Republicans, led by presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, would often contradict their values and employ the Federalist ideals in regards to domestic affairs and foreign policy.

The two parties emerged early after the construction of the Constitution. The Federalist Party rose to power in the executive and legislative branches of government during George Washington's administration and continued to dominate the government until John Adams's failed bid for reelection to the presidency in 1800. While the Jeffersonian Republicans appeared within three years of the induction of the federal Constitution, as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and others of less importance, in the federal government united to form an opposition to Alexander Hamilton's fi...

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...ed the Internal Improvement Bill because he believed that that right lay with the states and not the federal government. On the other hand he extensively increased the size of the US military and entered the country into war. This was against his party because the Jeffersonians did not believe in a strong military, but rather in isolationism. The Federalist Party encountered difficulties abiding by their own ideal as well. As evident at the Hartford Convention, the party was discouraged by its opposition and changed their views regarding domestic and foreign affairs. The Jefferson Republicans contradicted their view of strict constructionism numerous times during the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison.

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