https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b The beliefs held by the Hamiltonians and Jeffersonians, and why they thought that way. (Nick Lewis and Ian Baumer) en-us 2017-10-10 01:13:10 UTC 2025-10-21 06:07:25 UTC hello@padlet.com 3028512 https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195420002 The Hamiltonians believed that the federal government needed to be centralized and powerful. They believed this because they thought that the divisiveness of the states, as well as the federal government's extreme weaknesses under the Articles of Confederation, would lead to the downfall of the union. Shays' Rebellion was a great talking point for the Hamiltonians, who saw the federal government's weak response as a lack of ability to provide for the common defense. In terms of the government's involvement in finance, Alexander Hamilton, the leader of the Federalists, believed that the finance system of the United States was in disrepair, so he advocated for a centralized government with a centralized banking system. 

The Jeffersonians were strongly opposed to a centralized federal government, and advocated for strong state governments. They had this belief because they feared that a strong centralized government would develop into exactly what they rebelled against: a tyrannical government willing to exercise ultimate control to have their authority established. Although some Jeffersonians acknowledged some of the shortcomings with the Articles of Confederation, they certainly did not want to see the United States of America turn into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

The Jeffersonian Anti-Federalists did not want to see their hard earned freedom develop in to an absolutist government such as a monarchy.]]> 2017-10-10 01:28:51 UTC https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195420002 3028512 https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195822938 Whats' rights!? The leader of the Federalists, Alexander Hamilton, absolutely abhorred state legislatures, denouncing them as tiny red necked oligarchies bent on stymieing progress and freezing economic growth. Hamilton and his Federalists saw states' rights as an impediment to policy implementation. 

Preserving states' rights was of the utmost importance to the Jeffersonians, who believed that the best way to not become a corrupt oligarchy or monarchy was by allowing autonomy for the states, ensuring the decentralized federal government could not overstep its boundaries.]]> 2017-10-10 21:28:16 UTC https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195822938 3028512 https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195823455 The Hamiltonians could succinctly be summed up as "Anglophiles,"  meaning "love of British." Well, it's not exactly love, so much as it is creating friendly relationships with the British because the United States' sustenance relied heavily on trade, meaning angering the country whose Royal Navy ruled the Atlantic was anything but prudent.

The Jeffersonians were what we call "Francophiles." This is because the Jeffersonians sympathized with the roots behind the French Revolution, and the respected the French for helping the Americans gain their independence. The Jeffersonians, for these reasons, favored policy which was friendly towards the French. ]]> 2017-10-10 21:32:29 UTC https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195823455 3028512 https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195827370 The Hamiltonian faction ended up developing into the Federalist Party. They had control over many New England states, and appealed to the business community.

The Jeffersonian faction ended up developing into the Democratic-Republican Party, which had control over Middle and Southern states and appealed to citizens with an agrarian lifestyle.]]> 2017-10-10 21:59:32 UTC https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195827370 3028512 https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195831916 The Hamiltonians pushed strongly for government intervention in the economy, wanting to essentially implement a government engineered form of economic nationalism. Alexander Hamilton had a whole financial and economic plan which involved a powerful federal government. This was in an effort to strengthen the national economy as a whole. The Hamiltonians also envisioned a strong American economy based off industry.

The Jeffersonians were opposed to government intervention in the economy, seeing it as unnecessary interference in the economic affairs of separate states. The Jeffersonians advocated for an agrarian society for the United States.]]> 2017-10-10 22:27:45 UTC https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195831916 3028512 https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195836446 Because the Hamiltonian faction believed in stronger, more centralized government, they valued citizens' involvement in federal politics moreso  than state politics. Ultimately, Federalist involvement in state politics was fairly minimal. 

The Jeffersonians had a strong involvement in state politics and values civic participation in that regard. Many Anti-Federalist policies, like the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, were by way of state legislature.]]> 2017-10-10 23:10:14 UTC https://padlet.com/3028512/p3i6698f1n8b/wish/195836446