Eleanor Finch
The US Constitution does not mention political parties, and the Founding Fathers did not intend for American politics to be partisan. However, political factions or parties began to form during the struggle over the ratification of the federal Constitution of 1787. The Federalists, led by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, supported a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists, led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, advocated for states' rights. Since the 1850s, the two-party system in the US has been dominated by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, with the former being left-of-center and the latter right-of-center.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Federalists |
| Leader | Alexander Hamilton |
| Supporters | Merchants, bankers, commercial sector |
| Ideology | Strong central government, national government supersedes state governments |
| Name | Anti-Federalists |
| Leader | Thomas Jefferson |
| Supporters | Agrarian society |
| Ideology | States' rights, state governments supersede national government |
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What You'll Learn
Federalists vs Anti-Federalists
The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists were the two dominant factions during the formation of the United States Constitution. The Federalists were led by Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, and included James Madison, who is often referred to as the "father of the Constitution". They wanted a strong national government where state governments were subordinate to the central government. They believed that individual rights were already protected by the Constitution, common law, and state constitutions. Federalists found support among merchants, bankers, and those with a mercantile view of America.
On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists, led by Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State, advocated for states' rights and a weaker central government. They deeply opposed the idea of a powerful federal government, fearing that it could one day usurp the rights of the states, as they believed had happened in Britain. The Anti-Federalists drew their strength from those who favoured an agrarian society. Notable Anti-Federalist leaders included Virginians Patrick Henry and George Mason, the author of the Virginia Declaration.
The debate between these two factions centred around the ratification of the Constitution and the balance of power between the state and federal governments. The Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution as it was, while the Anti-Federalists wanted changes to protect states' rights. The Federalists ultimately won this debate, and the Constitution was ratified. However, the Anti-Federalists' arguments influenced the drafting and passage of the Bill of Rights, which was added to the Constitution to address concerns about protecting individual liberties.
The formation of these factions marked the emergence of political parties in the United States, which was not something that the Founding Fathers had originally intended or desired. George Washington, the first president, was not a member of any political party and warned of the dangers of partisanship in his Farewell Address, fearing that it would lead to conflict and stagnation. Despite these concerns, political parties formed and organised around differing interpretations of the Constitution and the legacy of the American Revolution.
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Alexander Hamilton's influence
The two parties during the constitution were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, wanted a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists, led by Thomas Jefferson, advocated for states' rights instead of centralized power.
Hamilton's influence extended beyond the creation of the Constitution. He was the founder and architect of the American financial system through his role as the first Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton proposed that the government establish a steady revenue stream by taxing imported goods and creating a federal bank. He also played a role in passing the Constitution, using his impeccable logic and persuasive abilities to convince states like New York and Virginia to ratify it. Hamilton's economic policies and monetary policies helped save the economy from ruin and prepared America for a prosperous future.
Hamilton also disagreed with Jefferson over foreign policy. When war broke out between Great Britain and France in 1793, Hamilton favored Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality, which Jefferson opposed. Hamilton remained politically active after leaving the cabinet, assisting with Washington's Farewell Address and helping to put an end to the Whiskey Rebellion. Hamilton's influence extended beyond his lifetime, as he was a founding father of the United States, and his ideas and policies continue to shape the country today.
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Thomas Jefferson's opposition
The United States Constitution does not mention political parties, as the Founding Fathers did not intend for American politics to be partisan. In fact, the term "faction" was used at the time instead of "party", and factions were considered divisive and contrary to the idea of virtuous leadership.
However, during the Washington Administration, political factions began to form as leaders debated the meaning of the Constitution and the future of the country. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, wanted a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists, led by Thomas Jefferson, advocated for states' rights instead of centralized power.
Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States, believed that it was a mistake not to provide for different political parties in the new government. He wrote in 1824, "Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties". Jefferson and his supporters, who tended to be small farmers, artisans, and Southern planters sympathetic to France, feared the strong centralized power for which the Federalists advocated. They valued the rights of individual states and believed that many federal policies violated the 10th Amendment. The Jeffersonians held the Constitution and Bill of Rights in high regard and applied them strictly to each individual situation. They also advocated on behalf of the "American Yeoman" (a farmer who only produces enough to feed their family), believing that every man had the right to work his own land for his family.
The Federalists, on the other hand, considered the Jeffersonians to be aligned with the French Revolutionaries, promoting anarchy and revolutionary ideals. The Federalists wanted to improve relations with Britain and saw the Jeffersonians as opposing the United Kingdom. The Federalists were also concerned about a violent overthrow of the government, as French refugees were fleeing to the United States from revolutions in France and Haiti.
The two-party system that emerged during the Washington Administration was based on differing interpretations of the Constitution and the legacy of the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson's opposition to the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, centred around his belief in states' rights and his fear of strong centralized power.
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George Washington's stance
During George Washington's presidency, political parties began to form as leaders debated over the interpretation of the Constitution and the future of the country. Washington, however, was not a member of any political party during his tenure as president. He believed that the country could and should function without the existence of political parties, fearing that partisanship would lead to conflict and stagnation. In his Farewell Address, published in newspapers across the country in 1796, he warned of "the baneful effects of the spirit of party", fearing that party members would not govern for the good of the people, but for power.
During Washington's presidency, the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, wanted a strong central government. Their opponents, the Anti-Federalists, led by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, advocated states' rights instead of centralized power. The Federalists coalesced around the commercial sector, while the Anti-Federalists drew their strength from those favoring an agrarian society.
The emergence of these two factions and their partisan battles worried Washington, who believed that political squabbles would undermine the concept of popular sovereignty in the United States. He witnessed the rise of the Democratic-Republican Party in opposition to the Federalists, which frightened him and many others. Washington's hope for a country without political parties was not to be, as they formed and organized during his administration, with leaders like Hamilton and Jefferson, and their followers, taking opposing stances on how the Constitution should be interpreted.
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The emergence of factions
Political parties, or factions, began to form during the struggle over the ratification of the federal Constitution of 1787. The Founding Fathers did not originally intend for American politics to be partisan. In fact, the term "party" was not frequently used at the time. The term was "factions", and these were considered divisive and contrary to the idea of political leaders or rulers being men of virtue.
The Federalists, led by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, wanted a strong central government. Hamilton and his followers, mostly merchants, bankers, and men who shared a mercantile view of America, were in favour of a national bank. They coalesced around the commercial sector of the country. The Anti-Federalists, led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, advocated states' rights instead of centralized power. They drew their strength from those favouring an agrarian society. Jefferson especially objected to Hamilton's flexible view of the Constitution, which included a national bank. He deeply felt that the Federalists represented aristocratic forces hostile to true republicanism and the will of the people.
During the early Republican period, Americans considered virtuous leaders who put aside self-interest in the cause of the common good as paramount to national success. George Washington exemplified this ideal and was beloved in the original thirteen states, giving him great prestige and influence. He was not a member of any political party during his election or presidency. He feared that political parties would lead to conflict and stagnation and that partisanship would lead to a "spirit of revenge" where party members would not govern for the good of the people, but for power.
Despite these fears, political parties soon formed around dominant personalities such as Hamilton and Jefferson. The Federalists won, and the Constitution was ratified, though the Anti-Federalists' argument influenced the drafting and eventual passage of the Bill of Rights, which was added to the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
The Federalists wanted to see a strong national government in which state governments were subordinate to the national government. They were led by Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, and included merchants, bankers and men with a mercantile view of America.
The Anti-Federalists wanted a new government in which state governments superseded the national government. They were led by Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State, and drew their support from those who favoured an agrarian society.
Political parties emerged through the rancorous debate over the shaping of the United States Constitution and the subsequent issues that followed based on interpretation of the Constitution.
