Differences Between Hamilton And Thomas Jefferson

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.

In the late 1700’s till early 1800’s, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were the two of major people in the government. Hamilton was the Secretary of Treasury and Jefferson was the Secretary of State. Hamilton belonged to the Federalist party while Jefferson was a member of the Democratic-republican party. Hamilton wanted to enlarge the power of the government. However, Jefferson’s view was the opposite.

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

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had much conflict because of strongly disagreeing with each other. Hamilton claims that Jefferson and Madison can cause danger, “Mr. Madison and Mr. Jefferson are at the head of a party that is hostile to me…, and dangerous to the union, peace and happiness of the country….” (Doc. 2) Alexander Hamilton also thinks James Madison and Thomas Jefferson have womanish emotions. Hamilton says he thinks this because the two men are both emotionally attached to France and do not like Great Britain at all.

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were two very important people in American history, but they loathed each other. Hamilton and Jefferson had two notably different ways that they wanted the new nation to be ran. Thomas Jefferson absolutely did not want the nation to be ran with a central institutions. Meanwhile, Alexander Hamilton’s vision on how the new nation should be ran was idealized on a central institution.

Hamilton had a good point when he said, “Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike”. (document F) He was referring to Jefferson not being open to change in the government because he simply was not fond of Hamilton. The proposal for a classic government form was actually a great idea but sadly the people who did not like Hamilton could not see past it. Quite a few federalist leaders had great ideas for the founding ideas of the new country yet were looked over for simply how people viewed them.

The debates between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson shaped the Federalist era by setting up a favorable environment for political parties to form and also they contributed to the formation of battle lines for many import issues.

Even though both the Founding Father contributed many new ideas to the new nation, both foresaw it significantly different from each other. Since Jefferson was influenced by where he was born, he wanted power reserved for the states, Constitution strictly interpret, and supported French. Nevertheless, Hamilton, an entrepreneur, was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Hamilton wanted a strong central government, loosely interpreted, and wanted to improve the relationship with Britain. As a result of many debates between both men, gave rise to political polarization. Since Jefferson probably aware of the threats of tyranny, he wanted a weak executive branch and a weak central government. Yet, looking at present-day America, one can see how the

While both Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson played tremendous roles in the development and founding of the United States, their beliefs were vastly different. Hamilton believed that America’s power should be based in a federal government. On the other hand, Jefferson believed that the power should be distributed amongst the states construed of local governments. These beliefs and views on the order in which America should be run, strongly influenced their actions and how they supported and changed the American government. Jefferson and Hamilton strongly opposed each other in regard to the practicality of a national bank and believed that the bank should act in different roles.

Alexander hamilton and federalists believed that only the “best people” should be in charge the country. He believed that the qualified people should be well educated, wealthy, and public- spirited men like themselves, such people had the time, education and background to run the country right. Federalists favored a strong national government, they hoped to use the new government's power under the Constitution to unite the quarreling states and keeping order among the people, in their view the rights of states were not nearly as important as national power and unity. Thomas Jefferson and his fellow Republicans favored democracy over any other form of government, they had no patience with the Federalists’ view that only “the best people” should rule. To republicans, this view came dangerously close to monarchy, or to rule by a king. Republicans believed that the best form of government is the one that was favored the least, a small government with limited powers was most likely to leave the people alone to enjoy the blessings of liberty. To keep the national government small, they insisted on a strict construction, or interpretation, of the Constitution. The entire point to make the nation better in Thomas Jefferson’s view was because of the way that the British ruled with a monarchy. The people of America did not want a monarchy government, that is why Thomas Jefferson strived to change the

Alexander Hamilton once said, “A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.” Alexander Hamilton was one of the two parties that were in the 1790’s that disagreed about the economy of the country. Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were a part of the two parties. Alexander Hamilton was a Federalist, and Thomas Jefferson was a Democratic-Republican. Federalists, they believed that trade and industry were more important than agriculture in the economy of the world, because it could increase our nation’s wealth, also they wanted to help create a capital, the last and final way was with our trading.

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

Conflicting views and contrasting ideologies have always existed throughout the history of United States politics. Alexander Hamilton, who led Federalist Party, believed that a powerful central government was necessary while Thomas Jefferson, who led the Jeffersonian Republican Party, favored an agrarian nation with most of the power left to the states. Although Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were similar in that they both harbored good intentions and tried to keep the best interests in mind for the future of the United States, their policies were drastically different. Without doubt, both of their contrasting ideas served a vital role in forming the government.

Alexander Hamilton wanted a national government that had complete political authority. Although Hamilton did not like state governments and wanted them to be eliminated, he knew it was not possible. Therefore, he proposed the idea of having the central government to have the most power, but allow the states to control many of their own rights and individuality. In collaboration with James Madison and John Jay, Hamilton wrote 51 essays out of 85 essays called “The Federalist Papers”. These essays explained and defended the new Constitution prior to its approval and with his effort, nine states agreed to ratify the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton led the Federalist Party, who believed in a centralized national government with strong economic roots, unlike Thomas Jefferson, who wanted a limited government. Hamilton also proposed to