Jefferson Dbq

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’s strict interpretation not only stretched on political views, but religious views as well. Creating the Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom, Jefferson gave states the right to make those decisions, and the federal government had no say in religion (1). Politically, Jefferson was of strict interpretation, yet he did through-out his presidential terms made loose interpretations of the Constitution. This was mainly shown in the purchase of Louisana. At first, Jefferson wanted only New Orleans to keep the mouth of the Mississippi out of French possesion. If that would fail, he was even willing to make an alliance with Britain. When hearing that the United States had bought all of the Louisana Territory, Jefferson soon began to fret over whether it was unconstitutional (a loose interpretation). When Jefferson first took office, he appointed a new Treasury Secretary Gallatin, and kept most of the Federalist policies laid down by Alexander Hamilton in place. All the ideas the Democratic-Republicans were against, Thomas Jefferson kept all of them except for the excise tariff. Against war, Jefferson decided to size down the army during his administration. But the pasha of Tripoli declared an outrageous amout of money by the United States, and with the United States saying no, cutdown the flagstaff in front of the U.S. Consolate (4). Jefferson was forced to go against his views, and build up the army against the North African Barbary States in the First Barbary War (4). And last, but not least, Jefferson’s Embargo Act of 1807 not only changed from strict to loose interpretations, but changed New Englanders minds as well (1)(5). The Embargo Act of 1807 was declared in part to force Britain to reconsider its restrictions on American trade by prohibiting American goods from being shipped to foreign ports (5). All in all, Jefferson tried to express strict interpretation and allow the state governments to govern rather than one central government (1), but with the on-going struggles during his administration, could not excute strictness as solely as he probably wanted to.

Right around the time where James Madison was elected and succeeded Jefferson, the war spirit grew in America (1), this automatically gave signs as to Madison having to compromise

his views against the public. On-going crys for war by the War Hawks finally took a toll on Madison, and he was force to declare war (the War of 1812) (2). In the document by Daniel Webster (1), it is shown very clearly that the Madison administration went against his strict views and decided to fill army ranks by using his governmental power (without the Constitution). Webster states that no where in the Constitution does it say that the adminitstation can choose to take anyone out of a household and use them for military purpose (1). The New Englanders, who opposed the war and were hurt financially due to the British blockade along the coastline (6), gathered in Hartford, Connecticut for the Hartford Convention. Through-out the convention, Federalists gathered up a serious of resolutions such as the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (2). Apparently, views of the Federalists had gone upside down as well. Federalists, during the convention, raised for states’ rights and proposed that Constitution be amended to require a two-thirds vote of Congress to admit new states and declare war, as well as not give Congress the right to lay any embargo on ships of citizens of the United States for more than sixty days (2)(1). As stated in the document written by John Randolph (a Democratic-Republican), he agrees that the Madison administration became more so old Federalism than republicanism acknowledging that the government was created to give power to Congress to regulate commerce and equalize tariffs on the United States as a whole, and not just sections of the nation(1). One strict view of Madison’s administration came in the vetoing of the Internal Improvements Bill. This showed Madison still had respect for the Constitution