In the years following the Revolutionary War, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had a number of conflicting philosophies on how best to run the young nation. Most important of all was determining the role and responsibilities of the federal government. Hamilton, a Federalist, was an advocate of a strong national government controlled by the wealthy with the power to tax and regulate commerce; Jefferson, who grew up on a Virginia plantation, championed states' rights and a laissez-faire policy, placing faith in the common people to shape the future of America.
Hamilton was a dedicated proponent of the Bank of the United States, proposing the idea to President Washington in January of 1791. Under Hamilton's plan, the federal government
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Hamilton favored protective tariffs to help grow the American economy to compete with those of England France, while Jefferson wanted nothing to do with the industrial societies of Europe. Hamilton's urban mind was ahead of its time. He envisioned a society powered by cities and industry; his rival Jefferson, having grown up on a farm, focused on the agricultural potential of the nation. Jefferson also believed agrarian people were more virtuous and trustworthy than the urban aristocrats Hamilton represented. Indeed, in the presidential election of 1800, much of Jefferson's support came from rural America while Federalist opposition centered in industrial New England.
Many of Hamilton and Jefferson's differing political views stemmed from their general attitudes toward human nature. Hamilton believed political leadership was best left to a wealthy, well-educated minority, feeling politics were beyond the scope of the common people, while Jefferson believed in the power and integrity of the general public who comprised the great majority of American citizens. Although the two never saw eye-to-eye on many political issues, both were extremely intelligent men who worked towards their images of a better nation and helped shape the foundation of
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Among them were Lyman Beecher and three of his children. Beecher himself was a key contributor to the Second Great Awakening, leading a series of Calvinist revivals around the time of the War of 1812. These revivals led to a series of reform movements in the early 19th century, most notably the temperance movement of the 1830s which aimed to stamp out alcoholic beverages. Other social contributions from the Beecher family included Catharine Beecher's efforts towards attaining higher education for women and advocating female careers in teaching, Harriet Beecher's famous novel “Uncle Tom's Cabin” which helped expose the evils of slavery, and Henry Ward Beecher's work as an antislavery advocate and preacher before and after the Civil War.
William Lloyd Garrison was one of the fiercest abolitionist figures of his generation. Garrison launched The Liberator in 1831, a radical weekly antislavery journal, where he called for immediate and unconditional emancipation of all slaves. In 1833, Garrison united with other abolitionists to found the American Anti-Slavery Society. The Second Great Awakening heavily influenced many leading abolitionists such as Theodore Dwight Weld, while Garrison used his newsletter to rally Northern blacks behind the
Thomas Jefferson vs Alexander Hamilton Frenemies: Informative Essay Two competing political parties have always existed throughout the United States. One seeking to increase the power of the government and the other one seeking to decrease the government's power. Thomas Jefferson was the Secretary of State during George Washington's Presidency, while Alexander Hamilton was a financial planner. Thomas Jefferson believed that National government power could be curbed through a strict interpretation of the Constitution while Alexander Hamilton believed the government could be strengthened through a loose interpretation of the Constitution.
Hamilton believed in a strong central government and loosely interpreting the Constitution, favoring commercialization and industry and the British in foreign policy. Jefferson believed in the exact opposite, equal strength of government by states and strictly interpreting the Constitution, favoring an agrarian economy and the French in foreign policy. Both had group of followers known as either the Hamiltonians or the Jeffersonians, who believed in their same political beliefs. When Hamilton presented his financial plan for the country, it came to no shock that the Jeffersonians opposed it. The Jeffersonians stated that it exceeded the authority given to the Congress which they proved with the 10th amendment forbidding the government exercising any power that was not delegated to them.
In the history of America, Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State, and Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, were two of the greatest leaders of our country. Although they both lead the country, that's where the similarities end as they had opposing views on everything. Jefferson was a republican while Hamilton was a federalist. Jefferson had been opposed to all of Hamilton's ideas, such as his financial plan, his interpretation of the powers of the government, his foreign policy, and his vision for the future of America. Jefferson was against Hamilton's views because his financial plan would ultimately destroy democracy in America, his interpretation of the powers of
Throughout the period of 1790 to 1825, Thomas Jefferson and his party of Republicans often had differing ideals than Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists. During this time, Federalists had a desire for a strong central government and trade rights. Jefferson and his Republicans, on the other hand, were strong advocates for state power against the tyrannical central government. As a prominent politician, Jefferson spoke out against Hamilton ideas such as a national bank; when Jefferson became president, however, some of his views change and seem to reflect those of Hamilton.
Thomas Jefferson, one of Alexander Hamilton's biggest rivals, was an anti-federalist. He thought that the government should follow a strict method of the Constitution. He also thought that the government should not get involved in more than it had to in the lives of the American people. He thought that this would help get rid of government intereference. Thomas Jefferson also thought that it would allow for truthful representation of the American people. He wanted a government that would allow anyone to go into
Hamilton was a Federalist who believed in a strong, central government with a national bank. He also wanted to make alliances with Britain (Davis 86).
The Federalist who was mainly lead by Alexander Hamilton, who had the position of a treasure when George Washington was president, wanted a strong central government that rivaled Great Britain. While, Thomas Jefferson, who was in charge of foreign relations (starting 1789), wanted a small, farmer to producer nation. Hamilton while being
Along with an economic system, Federalist believed in a powerful national government and army. Hamilton wanted the government to be centralized and
Jefferson, as a Republican, believed in a society that distrusted the rich and that was run by farmer-citizens. He was a strong supported of not the upper class but, "the people". A defender of human liberty, Jefferson believed in a minimum of government and favored power at the local level. Jefferson also believed that if people were given the opportunity, they would be decent and reasonable. Jeffersons supporting party disagreed with many of the things that Hamilton and the Federalists proposed and passed as laws, including the idea of the national bank. Madison, in fact, argued on behalf of the Republicans that the federal government had no righ to establish a federal bank because it was not among the enumerated powers of Congress found in the Constitution. The Republicans also ignored the Naturalization Act, nor
Someone who was polar opposite of Alexander Hamilton in their views was Thomas Jefferson, a member of the Democratic - Republican Party. Jefferson was in favor of a smaller central government with more power to the states. He perceived that it was unconstitutional to have the federal government to have so much influence on daily life. Jefferson thought that agriculture should be the backbone of the economy. He also did not support the idea of a central bank, Jefferson thought that the U.S. should pay off all of its debt and stay out of business affairs.”Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of god…..for substantial and genuine virtue”(Document D). Thomas thought that America should be the voice of ALL of the people so he wanted the common people to be able to have more of an influence in the government. Jefferson did not trust the wealthy people in government and thought that the more down to earth farmers and commoners would keep them in check. A very prominent difference in Hamilton and Jefferson was their views on the constitution. “Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,
The main reason that rise to conflict between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson is their contradict ideas about the government. As a federalist supporter, Hamilton find favor in a strong central government, meanwhile, Jefferson believe in a limited government. Because his fear of mod rules, HaMilton distrusted that a government should be ruled by everyone. He acknowledge that a strong central government
The two different visions of assembly of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton conveyed understandings of American power and the American people. For Hamilton, America's quality lay in the business industry. His America was one of delegates, specialists, speculators and banks. His party anticipated those would help these people battle in an overall business focus. Hamilton was suspicious of state governments, obliged as they were to slim neighborhood interests.
George Washington had recognized Hamilton’s leadership abilities and promoted him as Lieutenant Colonel. He was also an innovator of military design, where he designed reports on the defects and how there could be improvement in the military. While Hamilton was working as an adviser for Washington, Hamilton had come to realize the Congress' weaknesses, including jealousy between states, which he believed came from the Articles of Confederation (http://www.ushistory.org/). In 1782, Hamilton was convinced that establishing a strong central government was the key to achieving America’s independence.
The argument between Federalists and Anti-Federalists might seem long gone to American citizens, but still their philosophical foundations shape the teams, scope and size of the battlefield. These philosophies go back to two lone men, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Both fought aggressively for a government based on their ideas, and both did make portions of the now-standing American government. This essay will outline the political, social and economic philosophies of both men, how their philosophies influenced the government today, and a closing opinion.
Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had believed in American freedom and independence. Hamilton was a founding father of the United States, served in the American Revolutionary War, helped draft the Constitution, and was the first Secretary of the Treasury in Washington’s Cabinet. Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence, the 3rd president of the United States, 2nd vice president, and the first Secretary of State. Since Jefferson and Hamilton had different childhoods and adult experiences growing up, this may have led to a different political view as well.