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American revolution cause and consequences
American revolution cause and consequences
Similarities between Hamilton and Jefferson
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Dorothy Curtin
Jefferson v. Hamilton
11/2/17
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, two of the most distinguished leaders in United States history began to lay the foundation the future generations would build the government upon in the 18th century. After successfully becoming an independent country after the American Revolution, America faced the challenge of building a strong economy and constructing a stable government. Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson sought to develop ways to overcome these issues while building a strong Nation, however, these two influential leaders disagreed on the main issue concerning where the government's power should lay. From this issue, stemmed the disagreements on how to recover the Nation out of debt,
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From a political standpoint, Hamilton wanted to quickly industrialize the Nation as it would strengthen the economy. Through his ‘Report on Manufacturers’ Hamilton made it clear that protecting and encouraging small industries would make a balance between agriculture and manufacturing, promote self-sufficiency, and increase wealth and power in the Nation. Manufacturing, he argued, would create a more independent country as they wouldn't depend on foreign nations for certain goods and it would also provide a path to the global market that America was isolated from. Hamilton envisioned prosperity through a diversification of labor as he saw immigrants coming to America, boosting job growth. However, from Jefferson's point of view, he saw industrialization and manufacturing a threat to the agrarian way of life. He wasn’t opposed to the principal of manufacturing, he argued that if manufacturing were to function in the American economy, it shouldn’t replace agrarianism, which he feared would happen. If America were to industrialize too quickly it would lead to problems for the country in the future. Jefferson, however, went against this belief of strong agrarian economy when he passed the Embargo Act in 1807. This act had unseen effects as it encouraged industry and manufacturing …show more content…
Hamilton had a strong belief that the Constitution could be interpreted loosely which meant the constitution permitted everything that it did not specifically state or forbid. According to Hamilton, the Constitution gave the Federal Government ‘implied powers’ power to execute what was needed for the county, even if it wasn't stated directly in the Constitution. He backed his argument through his support in the ‘elastic clause’ which was in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. This clause gave flexibility and granted Congress the power to do what was “necessary and proper” for the government to carry out their enumerated powers. Because of the elastic clause, Hamilton said it justified Congress establishing the National Bank. Contrary to Hamilton, Jefferson looked upon the Constitution as a document that should be interpreted literally. If a law wasn’t directly written in the Constitution, it was deemed unconstitutional. Jefferson feared that if the government followed a belief of loose interpretation, they would have too much power and could violate individual and states rights. He also believed that powers that were not given to the Federal government are given to the states under the 10th amendment, which supported his claim that that the Construction should be strictly interpreted. Hamilton and
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson brought many different viewpoints and strengths after the establishment of the Constitution but they both put the nation’s stability first and wanted to preserve the wellbeing of the people first by Adams ending the Quazi war and Jefferson making the Louisiana Purchase.
“It’s not tyranny we desire; it’s a just, limited, federal government.” Alexander Hamilton. When Hamilton said this he was expressing the way he felt about central government. Hamilton and Jefferson both had very different views on government. Hamilton wanted a strong central government and Jefferson wanted all of the power to belong to the states. Alexander Hamilton’s views on government were better for what the United States would become.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were the last living individuals from the first American progressives who had confronted the British people and manufactured another political group in the previous provinces. Then again, while they both trusted stock in vote based system and life, freedom and the quest for joy, their conclusions on the best way to accomplish these standards separated after some time. Later, serving two presidential terms, Jefferson and Adams each communicated to outsiders their appreciation the other and their longing to recharge their friendship. Adams was the first to end the hush; he sent Jefferson a letter around the time of new year’s, in which he wished Jefferson numerous great new years to come. Jefferson reacted with
Jefferson believed the creation of the National Bank was unconstitutional. In the article “Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase” the author argues, “While it a National Bank was not expressly mentioned in the Constitution, Hamilton felt that the elastic clause (Art I., Sect. 8, Clause 18) gave the government the power to create such a body. Jefferson completely disagreed. He felt that all powers given to the National Government were enumerated. If they were not expressly mentioned in the Constitution then they were reserved to the states” (http://americanhistory.about.com). But under Hamilton’s National Bank, the United States had developed the financial credit necessary to receive a loan large enough for the Louisiana Purchase. With that being stated I am sure anyone can see why this would cause a problem for Jefferson if he believed the creation of the National Bank was unconstitutional. Jefferson believed that the Constitution was to be strictly interpreted and that government should act within the stated boundaries. Jefferson also favored limited government and believed that congress should be restricted to enumerated powers listed in the Constitution. The major difference between Jefferson and Hamilton concerning executive power rests with Jefferson’s faith in the body politic as represented by the
The post-revolutionary war period of the Unites States saw the establishment of the first party system and an enlarging gap in viewpoints between the wealthy and the common man. The contradictory views of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were primarily responsible for the rise of political parties from 1783-1800.
He was bold and persuasive and his philosophies quite extraordinary for his time. Jefferson’s agricultural viewpoint was vastly different from Hamilton’s manufacturing perspective. Though they both envisioned a great and prosperous nation, they had contrasting opinions on how this should occur. Hamilton, a Federalist, believed the rich and powerful should be the central government for all people, as they knew better how to foster and protect the em... ...
Federalists such as Hamilton supported ratification. But Anti-Federalists, who feared that the document gave too much power to the federal government, worked to convince the states to reject it. Hamilton believed that the ratification was necessary because giving more power to the central government was essential for the nation's survival. In The Federalist Papers Hamilton sets the stage for those that would follow, entitling that "The vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty." The essay...
Going hand in hand with his detestation of large, extremely controlling national governments, Jefferson was intent on having no national bank present in the US, but Hamilton was certain the country would benefit from one. For example, in a personal letter written by Alexander Hamilton, he wrote, “Mr. Madison, co-operating with Mr. Jefferson, is at the head of a faction, decidedly hostile to me, and my administration; and actuated by views... subversive of the principals of good government, and dangerous to the Union... Mr. Jefferson... [displays] his dislike of... funding [the] debt.” (Doc 2) Hamilton implied that by not advocating a national bank, Jefferson did not want to help the country pay off its debt. Jefferson, however, was dead set against having a national bank because he wanted the common people, such as the farmers, to have maximum influence on the government. This way, a strong central government could not have supreme political, economic, and social power, all of which together would open the doors for future corruption, even if the government was set up in the manner directed in the Constitution. Jefferson defended this judgement to the extent that he formed a political party so it could develop into a well-supported suggestion. Thus, the perspective on national banks could more efficiently progress into the point where it impacted the whole country and prevented the formation of a national bank. Equally, the excise tax proposed by Alexander Hamilton and carried out by Congress, factored in on Hamilton and Jefferson’s feud on having a national bank. In a letter written by Thomas Jefferson, he manifested his reaction to the excise tax by commenting, “The excise tax is an infernal one... [the public’s]
In fact, the Embargo Act caused a catastrophic effect in lowering exports and imports to less than one-third of what the country had earned in 1807, which angered many people, especially the Federalists (“The American Nation”). Therefore, Hamilton would fight against James Madison in the election of 1808 and would become the president of the United States. Moreover, after being the president and cancelling the Embargo Act, Hamilton would have no fear of starting a war with either Britain or France. However, due to the relationship between America and Britain, especially during the time when the British government was in turmoil, the American Minister Pinckney resigned, and new British Minister Jackson ignited more fire with Americans, the fight between America and Britain had more chance to occur. Different than James Madison, who was a Politician, Hamilton was also a general during the Revolutionary War. Thus, with a talented general as the leader, American army might had not suffered as much as what we did with Madison as the leader, including the burning of the White House as well as many other buildings. In fact, there was a high chance that we could once again beat British in a war after the Revolutionary War with the well-trained army of Hamilton, which had had an impressive night attack against the British forces at the decisive Battle of
After the first War for Independence, The United States was approximately $52 million in debt. Due to having such bad financial problems, the United States created a national Bank to create one unified currency, to take away all state debts, and to issue loans to the people to promote growth. This National Bank was created by Alexander Hamilton who was a Federalist, and once Jefferson came to be the President, he continued the idea of the national bank because it was helping to reduce the national debt. The primary reason for the National Bank being a representation of a Federalist idea was because since it was issuing loans to people it was able to promote industrial growth which was one of the main goals of the Federalist party. From Jefferson continuing the use of the National Bank thru his presidency he demonstrates his need to continue a loose constructionist idea.
To explain these powers, Hamilton said it would be natural - or implied - that the federal government would gain control over any territory gained through conquest of purchase, although the Constitution made no mention of territorial control. In essence, Hamilton wished to use the implied powers to build a strong and authoritative central government.In 1789, the Minister to France Thomas Jefferson, to Francis Hopkinson of Pennsylvania, protesting that "I am not of the party of the federalists. But I am much farther from that of the anitfederalists." However, the situation was so sensitive that he could not help but chose a side. In 1795, Jefferson wrote to a congressman from Virginia, William Giles, that he "held "t honorable to take a firm and decided part." The group he sided with, the Democratic-Republicans, favored a strict interpretation. As their leader, Jefferson argued that all powers not enumerated by the Constitution belonged to the States. The basis for his argument was the old English "compact" theory.
After the establishment of the constitution, the Federalist administrations faces many significant challenges when dealing with the economics of the United States; much of the country was divided over issues such as how to raise money, establishing a public credit system, how to pay the national debt, and whether or not a national bank should be established. Leaders like Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison came to represent the ideas of the people and as these ideas became more solid, debate and opposition rose. The Federalists saw multiple ways to resolve these issues, and the resolutions established that leadership in the United States would be successful.
Jefferson’s beliefs in local self government created differences between himself and Alexander Hamilton which created the Federalists (Hamilton followers) and the Democrat Republican’s (Jefferson followers).
George Washington tried to encourage a political system that would be unified. Unification turned out to be difficult since even Washington’s main advisors, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had opposing views about key issues. Jefferson was Washington’s Secretary of State, and Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury. These two saw the role of the federal government of the United States very differently and because of this political unification was threatened.
"It would swallow up all the delegated powers [of the states], and reduce the whole to one power. "-Jefferson referring to the Bank. He was strongly against big government and felt it would oppress the common man. "I am not a friend of a very energetic government.it places the governors indeed more at their ease, at the expense of the people." Jefferson was also a strong supporter of the Bill of Rights, which protected the rights of the people.