The Differences Of Thomas Jefferson And Alexander Hamilton

The ratification of the Constitution introduced an era marked by individualism, political discourse, and the inevitable rise of the political party system. During the 1790s, rising tensions among members of George Washington’s cabinet fueled the development of two political parties, the Democratic Republicans and Republicans. At the forefront were Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, respectively. Their divergent temperaments, views on government, and perception of each other in their individual letters to George Washington on â€Å"9 September 1792† reveal the early roots of the party system, and to an extent, political polarization. Hamilton’s self-made aristocratic upbringing likely shaped his urban values as Secretary of Treasury. He†¦show more content†¦5). In contrast, Hamilton displays a more mild-mannered temperament, deliberately bringing up his role in â€Å"preventing a very severe and systematic attack† on Jefferson (Hamilton, para. 5) to portray himself in a better light to Washington. The accusations the men address in their letters reveal in part the values they upheld. They were at odds on how to interpret the Constitution, with Hamilton favoring a â€Å"loose† or open-to-interpretation approach to the government, - granting it implied or suggested powers - and Jefferson preferring a â€Å"strict† interpretation: the government’s abilities are explicitly stated within the Constitution, with no room for interpretation (Kevin Mack, â€Å"Jefferson’s Republicanism†). Jefferson opposed Hamilton’s plans to establish a national bank and have the federal government carry the states’ debts, as it was not in line with his strict view of the Constitution, and heavily strengthened the national government as opposed to the states (Mack, â€Å"Jefferson’s Republicanism†). He implies his stance in his letter, writing that â€Å"...the general government has a right to exercise all powers which may be for the gene ral welfare, that is to say, all the legitimate powers of government† (Jefferson, para. 3). Jefferson asserts that it was not his intention to â€Å"intermeddle† with the legislature or his â€Å"co-departments,† and points a fingerShow MoreRelatedThomas Jefferson And The Constitution911 Words   |  4 Pagesopinions. However Thomas Jefferson the 4th president of the United States also known as the father of the constitution and Alexander Hamilton who was the author of the majority papers written as well as the leading member of the constitutional convention the both of them took part in creating the(factions) that lead to the political systems also known as democracy being introduced. James Madison was the principle intellecteal leader of the constitutional convention while Thomas Jefferson contributedRead MoreEssay on The Duel Between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton1636 Words   |  7 PagesIn the battle between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton was one of the most famous duels in the early 19th century. Both men were very significant political leaders of the United States. The men had clashes throughout the 1790’s which lead to a duel between the two and Alexander Hamilton lost his life. Aaron Burr was born in New Jersey in 1756. He was involved in many political events though out his life. He was the second president of Princeton, and he was the grandson of Jonathon EdwardsRead MoreFederalists vs. Democratic Republicans922 Words   |  4 PagesAmericans at that time wanted to keep America a free an independent nation with rights for its people. However there was two different groups, the Federalists lead by Alexander Hamilton and the Democratic-Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson, which thought this could be achieved in very different ways. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were very different in their methods to try and develop America as a nation. The two were very much alike because they both were avid Americans, and wanted toRead MoreThe Politics Of The United States868 Words   |  4 Pagesstructural views. Popularly known as the rivalry that forged a nation, the battle between Jefferson and Hamilton. When George Washington gave his farewell address (1796) he warned that the creation of political factions, â€Å"sharpened by the spirit of revenge,† would most certainly lead to â€Å"formal and permanent despotism’’. So it came as a surprise when his two wingmen Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were the ones who proved his warnings to be true. The two political diplomats set up a dualRead MoreThomas Jefferson And Alexander Hamilton848 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton set the path for the two-party system of government we have today in the United St ates. In the 1790s, the Federalists were led by Hamilton and leading the Republicans was Thomas Jefferson (Bethel University, 2004). Many differences distinguished the two parties. The visions each person had for governing the states was compromised by the events leading up to the systems establishments and the later roles of wars, like the War of 1812, and national organizationRead MoreThe Philosophies of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson Essay916 Words   |  4 Pageslone 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. Politics The political standings of Hamilton and Jefferson were the foundation and beginning of their lifelong arguments and disagreements. Hamilton was theRead MoreHamiltons Curse Book Review1464 Words   |  6 PagesRevolution- and What It Means for America Today, the author, Thomas J. DiLorenzo, succeeds in answering the questions stated above. Even more, the author is able to identify America’s economic problems by narrowing them down to one source: Alexander Hamilton. The author of the book, Thomas J. DiLorenzo, presents excellent arguments with strong evidence of the contradicting political ideas between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. A thorough investigation and research is evidenced throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Aaron Burr s The Duel With Alexander Hamilton 1697 Words   |  7 PagesDuel† with Alexander Hamilton. Not only was dueling illegal in 1804 in New Jersey, which is where the duel occurred, but Aaron Burr was the current Vice President of the United States of America taking part in an event that led to the death of Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton himself was one of the most powerful figures in the Federalist Party and was so well known within the party that his advocates believed that he emulated the political energy of George Washington, so the death of Hamilton was a shockRead More Politician vs. Statesman Essay672 Words   |  3 Pagessynonyms when describing an individual, but they do have their subtle difference s. Both a politician and a statesman are defined as â€Å"man who is a leader in national or international affairs† or â€Å"a man who is a respected leader in a given field† (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=statesman / http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=politician). Although these two words are termed the same, they do have their differences in their actual meanings. A politician is someone who attempts to gainRead MoreCompare And Contrast Alexander Hamilton And Thomas Jefferson1163 Words   |  5 Pagesclosest advisors, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, formed the gatherings that started the dual-party system in which the United States operates today. Although both men were important in the Revolution and in the establishment of the United States, they did not coordinate until Washington chose Hamilton to be the Secretary of the Treasury and Jefferson to be the Secretary of State. From the beginning, the two men harbored contradicting dreams of the nations way. Jefferson assumed that Americas