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Thomas Jefferson, Democratic-Republican, and Alexander Hamilton, Federalist, symbolized opposing views on American governance and political parties in the new nation.
Courtesy of American Memory at the Library of Congress.
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The First American Party System: Federalists and Democratic-Republicans: The Platforms They Never Had
Guiding Question
- What were the key positions of the parties?
- How important to the parties' positions were their basic attitudes toward
constitutional interpretation (Federalists, broad interpretation / Democratic-Republicans,
strict interpretation)?
- Which positions of either party resonate in the politics of today?
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Summarize the key positions of the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
Introduction
The rivalry between the Federalists and Republicans was bitter. Read with the
class Jefferson
on the Federalists (May 23, 1792) on the EDSITEment-reviewed website American
Memory. (NOTE: At this point, avoid discussion of the various issues to which
he refers; rather, ask the class to evaluate the tone of the rhetoric. Ask students
to identify highly charged words in the passage, such as "corrupt," "vice," "idleness,"
"corrupting," "monarchy."):
… All the capital employed in paper speculation is barren & useless,
producing, like that on a gaming table, no accession to itself, and is withdrawn
from commerce & agriculture where it would have produced addition to the common
mass: That it nourishes in our citizens habits of vice and idleness instead
of industry & morality: That it has furnished effectual means of corrupting
such a portion of the legislature, as turns the balance between the honest voters
which ever way it is directed: That this corrupt squadron, deciding the voice
of the legislature, have manifested their dispositions to get rid of the limitations
imposed by the constitution on the general legislature, limitations, on the
faith of which, the states acceded to that instrument: That the ultimate object
of all this is to prepare the way for a change, from the present republican
form of government, to that of a monarchy, of which the English constitution
is to be the model. That this was contemplated in the Convention is no secret,
because its partisans have made none of it.
This lesson will point out some of the differences between the parties that caused
such strong feelings.
The Platform of the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
The early Federalists and Democratic-Republicans did not publish party platforms.
They had no campaign slogans or posters. In this lesson, students will use statements
from members of these parties to create party platforms and if desired, slogans
or posters. Designate half the class as Federalists and half as Democratic-Republicans
and distribute handouts as
follows (see Preparing
to Teach This Curriculum Unit for download instructions):
To the Federalist group:
To the Democratic-Republican group:
- "Democratic-Republican
Group Handouts," pages 22-28
- "The Democratic-Republican
Party Platform," page 29
- The Interactive version of "The Democratic-Republican
Party Platform,"
NOTE: Though the Federalist Party became a formal party after the Democratic-Republicans,
the Democratic-Republican Party largely formed in reaction to policies of
Washington's administration, many of which were formulated by Hamilton. Therefore,
the Federalist positions are provided first.
- Within each group, further subdivide the students so that individuals or
small groups may focus on each of the following issues:
- Issue 1: Funding the Public Debt
- Issue 2: United States Relations with Great Britain/France
- Issue 3: The National Bank: Implied Powers vs. Strict Interpretation
- Issue 4: Manufacturing/Agriculture
- Issue 5: The Jay Treaty
- Issue 6: The Democratic-Republican Societies
- Issue 7: The Alien and Sedition Acts
Students are responsible for creating a statement clarifying their assigned party's
position on their designated issue using the group handouts and relevant documents
from the "Timeline of Events Related to the Development of the American Party
System" (see Preparing
to Teach This Curriculum Unit for download instructions). Students should
note any changes in position over time. When compiled, the statements represent
a party platform, which each student group should record on its party platform
handout. In addition, for each position, students can create a slogan or a poster
based on the position of the party. When the groups are done, both parties' positions,
slogans, and/or posters should be shared for each issue in point/counterpoint
fashion. One master copy of each group's platform should be duplicated for all
members of the class.
Assessment
Students who have completed this lesson should be able to respond effectively
to the following:
- What were the positions of each party on the issues? Which positions, if
any, changed over time in reaction to events? Which events?
- How important to the parties' positions were their basic attitudes toward
constitutional interpretation (Federalists, broad interpretation / Democratic-Republicans,
strict interpretation)?
- To what extent were party positions dictated by other factors? What considerations
were important?
- Which positions of either party resonate in the politics of today?
Read and discuss with the class Jefferson's
Letter to Elbridge Gerry, Jan. 26, 1799—sometimes informally called "Jefferson's
Platform"—on the Thomas Jefferson
Digital Archive, a link from the EDSITEment resource The
American President (read from "I do then, with sincere zeal" to "that single
ground of difference"). In discussion or writing, ask students to complete the
following (the teacher can decide whether students can refer to the party platforms
of each group):
- Students who represented Federalist positions in the lesson should analyze
"Jefferson's Platform." In what substantive ways, if any, does it resemble
the Republican Platform devised by the Republican groups? In what substantive
ways, if any, does it differ from the Republican Platform devised by the Republican
groups?
- Students who represented Republican positions in the lesson should make
note of Jefferson's remarks. Then, using Jefferson’s letter as a model,
they should write a letter in the voice of a Federalist describing his positions.
Selected EDSITEment Websites
Other Information
Standards Alignment
- NCSS-10
Civic ideals and practices. Citizenship in a democratic republic. more
- NCSS-5
Individuals, groups, and institutions. more
- NCSS-6
Power, authority, and governance. more
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