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Thomas jefferson and his view on the constitution
Thomas jefferson political beliefs
Thomas jefferson and his view on the constitution
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The specific views of Thomas Jefferson were that the powers should be reserved for the states and that agriculture was the type of work that America needed to focus on if they wanted to be a successful country.He was also a believer in letting people choose and govern themselves. If Jefferson were around today he would be considered a republican. On the other hand there was Hamilton who believed in having a big federal government which could help America become an industrial powerhouse.Also Hamilton believed in a national bank and using funding for their national debt, which is why his is called "The Father of National Debt". If Hamilton were around today he would probably be more of a democrat. One can see how these two could have much conflict
in their years of working with each other. Although their are many thing they didnt agree on ranging from focusing on agriculture vs. focusing on industrialism to being involved in the French Revolution (Hamilton) or staying neutral (Jefferson) , the major difference here is whether to have a strong central government or not. This was so important because it revolves around the topic still being debated to this day, are people smart enough to know whats right for them and should be able to make their own decision or should a higher power draw restrictions in order to protect people.
During the early 1800s, two parties were developed having different perspectives on government and the Constitution. The Democratic Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, were always characterized by following the strict construction of the constitution. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, were characterized by following the broad construction of the constitution. The presidencies of Jefferson and Madison proved this characterization to be somewhat accurate. Although the Democratic Republicans and the Federalists did support their own ideas and views, they also did many things that contradicted them.
Jefferson’s presidency was to a certain extent a “Republican Revolution” and to a certain extent it was a Federalist Continuation. Jefferson proclaimed his “Republican Revolution” to help the average farmer and reduce the Federal debt the United States had acquired due to war and to reduce the power of the Federal Government. Jefferson had based the ideals of the “Republican Revolution” on his strict interpretation of the Constitution and did not believe in loose interpretations, opposing Hamilton’s proposal of having a Federal Bank. Jefferson would largely focus on helping the average person, as he would try to support the common man through his decisions. He would try to lower the Federalists control as well as power and give equality.
Both men (Jefferson and Madison) as well as both parties were steadfast to their views of interpretation in words, but when it came to action, they strayed from their political conceptions about the Constitution. Both political figures reinstated time after time that the nation rested solely on the states, but when the time came, with it was the second war with Britain or the trade with France, the two men broke from strict constructionism, in order to serve the public interest. In general, both presidents took the views of either party when it suited him best.
The Jeffersonian-Republicans (also known as the Democratic-Republicans) were opposed to the Federalists from before 1801-1817. Leaders Thomas Jefferson and James Madison created the party in order to oppose the economic and foreign policies of Alexander Hamilton and the Federalist Party. The Democratic-Republicans supported the French, whereas the Federalists supported the British. Each party had its set of views. The Federalists supported a loose interpretation of the Constitution, a strong central government, high tariffs, a navy, military spending, a national debt, and a national bank (all ideas of the Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton). The Democratic-Republicans opposed all of the said ideas and fought for states' rights and the citizens to govern the nation. Originally, each of these parties stuck to their own views and ideas, but eventually would accept eachother's views and use them as their own.
Thomas Jefferson has an amazing role in our lives today from the hard work and time he spent to make an easier future for all of us. There are days that some of us could not thrive as the people we are without the appliances he made to make challenging tasks easier for us. Some people look up to him because he never stopped doing great things and never stopped showing unselfishness. Thomas Jefferson revolutionized the world of the 18th century and centuries to come. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most influential people of the 18th century because he was one of the founding fathers of America, he was the founder of the University of Virginia, and he was the creator of many life changing inventions, which drastically changed the world.
The Republicans and Federalists views differed drastically, so much so that the president George Washington had accusations of favoring Alexander Hamilton and The Federalists, as his accuser was clearly Thomas Jefferson. In fact, Republicans were the minority among Federalists, however, they were strong-willed in their beliefs. Thomas Jefferson coined life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that is what he and the Republicans hoped for from the government. In conclusion, Jefferson and The Republicans finally achieved harmony when Jefferson became vice president in 1796, and admirably in 1801 citizens elected Jefferson as president, in which he served until 1809. Jefferson and the Republicans fought long and hard for the government rule to be limited, which in “The Declaration of Independence” Jefferson writes about unalienable rights, although the government was not directly controlling the citizens anymore, they made laws and continue today to make laws that secretly ensure that the citizens are obeying official
Although Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton did not necessarily get along and the citizens of the United States were splitting to support the different leaders, it did not cause the emergence of the parties. The social tensions and differences, rather than a cause, was more of an effect. Jefferson and Hamilton’s disagreements on the subjects of economics, politics, and foreign affairs were major divisions, leaving social tensions in the aftermath. The emergence of political parties during the 1790s in the United States can be compared to the emergence of the Whigs and Tories in England during the 1700s and 1800s. Both pairs of opposing political parties emerged over disagreements. Whigs, like the Democratic-Republicans, supported the rights and power of the people. Tories, like the Federalists, supported a strong monarchy/government (UK
ideas of Hamilton destroyed that hope in the bud, We can pay off his debts
Alexander Hamilton exerted the most influence in the new Federalist Party. He believed that only an enlightened ruling class could produce a stable and effective federal government. The government therefore needed the support of wealthy men. Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans defended more the rights of the common man and an agrarian society with little power from the federal government. His basic principle was "in general I believe the decisions of the people in a body will be more honest and more disinterested than those of wealthy men."
As the young colonies of America broke away from their mother country and began to grow and develop into an effective democratic nation, many changes occurred. As the democracy began to grow, two main political parties developed, the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalists. Each party had different views on how the government should be run. The Jeffersonian Republicans believed in strong state governments, a weak central government, and a strict construction of the Constitution. The Federalists opted for a powerful central government with weaker state governments, and a loose interpretation of the Constitution. Throughout the years, the political parties have grown, developed, and even dispersed into totally new factions. Many of the inconsistencies and changes can be noted throughout the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
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... ...
Thomas Jefferson was the third American President. Due to the fact that he was such an early President, he influenced our political system greatly, both in the short and long term with his seemingly quiet approach to congressional matters. During his presidency, many things happened that changed the United States as we know it. He coordinated the Louisiana Purchase, assisted in implementing the twelfth amendment, formed the character of the modern American President, and cut the U.S.’s war debt by a third.
The national debt surfaced after the revolution when the United States government had to borrow funds from the French government and from the Dutch bankers. By 1790, the U.S. government accumulated millions in debt, but no one knew precisely how much. The Constitution mandated that the new government take over the debts of the old government under the Articles of Confederation.
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).
Jeffersonian (Democratic) Republican’s were established by Thomas Jefferson in 1801 and lasted until 1810. The act of rural farming and owning land was important to this group because they believed “the United States needs (needed) steady independent farmers/ citizens tilling their own land.” They feared cities with manufacturing would create too many landless citizens who would then depend on corporations. The Jeffersonian Era was known as the period of physical nation-building, as a result of the emphasis on farming and living the agrarian way of life. The Federalist were established by Alexander Hamilton in 1700 and lasted until 1800. Urban manufacturing was important to this group as a result of the idea of wage labor, workers who are paid