Document Analysis: Federalists and Jeffersonians (Democratic-Republicans)

Document Analysis icon Although George Washington warned about the dangers of political parties (factions), they soon developed in the United States. For almost all of our history, the U.S. has seen two competing political parties. Alexander Hamilton and John Adams were leaders of the Federalists and James Madison and Thomas Jefferson became the standard bearers of the Democratic-Republicans. While they both wanted what was best for the nation, they had different visions of what exactly would be the best course to follow. Download and view this document that reviews the key characteristics and differences in the first two political parties. Examine these five documents and answer the questions that follow. You can also download a pdf copy of the documents here.

Document 2: from Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen people, whose breasts He has made His peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virtue.

Document 3: from Timothy Dwight, President of Yale College commenting on if Jefferson were to be elected president The Bible would be cast into a bonfire, our holy worship changed into a dance of Jacobin phrensy, our wives and daughters dishonored, and our sons converted into the disciples of Voltaire and the dragoons of Marat.

Document 5: Election of 1800 Map

Questions

Which political party was distrustful of the common people?
The Democratic-Republicans supported the French Revolution. How was this used by their opponents to paint Jefferson in a negative light?
In what region of the country was the Federalist Party the strongest?
How were the Federalists portrayed by the Democratic-Republicans?
Today there is much talk about how negative political campaigns have become. From the readings, do you feel like the "mudslinging" was extreme during the early years of our nation as well?

Answer the questions on your own paper or word processing document.

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