APUSH Project-Comparing The First Two Political Parties (QUIZ GRADE)
The rivalry between these two groups emerged during Washington's second term and
fully emerged during the Adam's presidency. As you can see from the Congressional
Chart below, these two factions battled for control of Congress ​
(and the Presidency in
1796 and 1800) ​
in the first two decades of the Republic.
CONGRESSIONAL CHART:
The United States in the twenty-first century is predominantly a two-party system. Although
more than two political parties exist, many American voters tend to side with one of the big
two: the ​
Democrats​
or the ​
Republicans​
.
In George Washington's Farewell Address he warned his fellow Americans about the dangers
of political parties. He said, "The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened
by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has
perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism." He claimed the
partisanship would lead to inter-political conflict, divide the nation, and give rise to cases of
tyranny.
Despite his warnings, political associations in the young United States began to bifurcate even
before the Constitution was signed. In those first stages, the two factions were The Federalists
and the Anti-Federalists - the discussions of the Federalists became most famous initially in
The Federalist Papers. (source: online website)
In a letter to John Wise*, Thomas Jefferson said of the developing political environment:
"Two political sects have arisen within the U. S. The one believing that the executive is the
branch of our government which the most needs support; the other that like the analogous
branch in the English Government, it is already too strong for the republican parts of the
Constitution; and therefore in equivocal cases they incline to the legislative powers: the
former of these are called federalists, sometimes aristocrats or monocrats, and sometimes
tories, after the corresponding sect in the English Government of exactly the same
definition: the latter are styled republicans, whigs, jacobins, anarchists, disorganizers, etc.
these terms are in familiar use with most persons."
Thomas Jefferson​
was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party - the "jacobins" alongside James Madison and Patrick Henry. John Adams was a member of the Federalist Party
along with Alexander Hamilton, who had been the main voice behind ​
The Federalist Papers​
.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT: (with a partner)
Your task is investigate some of the trigger points in this war of ideas between America's f​
irst
two political parties.
1. Give a brief who, what, when, where about your assigned events.
2. What part does each of these play in the factional disputes between federalists and
democratic republicans? What elements of each ideology are present or contradict the
principles of each? You will present your project to the class.
FEDERALIST POSITION vs. DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN (Republican) POSITION
National or State Governments
Payment of Debts
Manufacturing or Farming
National Bank
Protective Tariffs
Whiskey Tax & Whiskey Rebellion
Interpretation of The Constitution
French Revolution
Supporters: by geography and profession
Jay’s Treaty
Alien and Sedition Acts
XYZ Affair
Quasi War With France
Alien and Sedition Acts
Kentucky and Virginia resolutions
*Using a medium or large white poster visually demonstrate and teach the rest of the class about
your item and the questions above. ​
Translation - ​
visually means I don't want paragraphs of
written info. (use markers etc. to make your poster visually appealing)