The Formative Years of the US Government

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Recommended: Alexander Hamilton Thomas Jefferson

The founding fathers had various ideas to form the new constitution and the new government. The first presidential election in American history was won by George Washington through the popular will. Everyone in the Electoral College had voted for Washington for the first place with the hearty approval of the public. Washington received all 69 votes from the Electoral College while John Adams became the Vice President and got 34 votes (Boller P.4). The new government under the new Constitution was led by Mr. President George Washington and Vice President John Adams.

During the formative years of our new government, the interests of the north and south, rich and poor, and industry and agriculture were all put in the same box of dissent until to profoundly different vision for the country erupted. The two main figures part of the Washington administration were the Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Treasury Secretary believed that our new country’s federal government should be more powerful. As an immigrant from the Caribbean, Hamilton came to New York in 1773 at the age of sixteen (Eddins). He joined the Continental Army when the war started, an experience that had completely changed his viewpoint as a young man. He and many others had lived in a state of frustration at how the Continental congress had handled the war effort. The states representative were seen narrow minded, by putting their own interest first whenever asked to provide supplies and money for the army. Jefferson on the other hand didn’t serve in the Continental army but remained in Virginia by serving various parts of that state’s government. Hamilton and Jefferson had complete different background and their points of ...

... middle of paper ...

...t come from different states (Eddins).

Works Cited

American President: A Reference Resource. Miller Center; University of Virginia. Copyright 2012. February 26th, 2012.

http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson/essays/biography/print

Boller, Paul F. Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington to George W. Bush. January 2004.

Eddins, Geri Z. Choosing Sides: The Rise of Party Politics. February 26th, 2012.

http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/choosingsides.html

Larson, Edward J. A Magnificent Catastrophe. June 2008.

Sage, Henry J. The New Republic: The United States, 1789-1800. February 26th, 2012.

http://www.academicamerican.com/revolution/topics/1790spart1.html#HamiltonFin

Sage, Henry J. The Jeffersonian Republic: The United States 1800 – 1840. February 26th, 2012.

http://www.academicamerican.com/jeffersonjackson/topics/JeffersonianDem.htm#madison

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