Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
APUSH
The Formative Years-1790s
•  Adopted new constitution, created the Bill of
rights, political parties emerge, a new capital
•  Threats of civil war
▫  Strong military and economy, a national bank, a
standing army, industrial nation (Hamilton)
▫  Agrarian society, no national bank, no standing
army, and no strong centralized government
(Jefferson)
–  Both sought the interests of the nation, but had
different opinions on how to best achieve it
“If I could go to heaven but with a
party, I would not go there at all”
-Jefferson
•  Fear that political parties are a threat to
enlightened government-no intention when the
Constitution is framed to have political parties
•  Factors that contribute:
▫  Washington, Adams, Hamilton: Fear that
opponents want to destroy the Union, subvert
morality and property rights, and ally the U.S.
with France
▫  Jefferson: Fear that Federalists are trying to create
a monarchy, with a standing army, high taxes, and
government subsidized monopoly
Defining the Presidency
•  Constitution is written permitting an executive
branch, but uncertainty about how the position
should be defined.
▫  constitutional monarch who delegates or president
who runs government himself
▫  Relationship between the branches
▫  Foreign policy
Hamilton’s Financial Plan
•  Biggest problem for U.S.=financial
▫  Huge debt
▫  Paper money under Articles=worthless
▫  No foreign credit available
•  Debt:
▫  Hamilton’s solution: Federal Gov. assume the debt of all the
states, pay it off by borrowing money at low interest rates
▫  Problem: states, MD, PA, and NC, had paid off their debt and
don’t want to pay taxes to the federal gov. to pay off other states
debts.
–  Whiskey Rebellion
▫  Solution: after 6 months of debate Jefferson and Madison reach
an agreement: in exchange for southern support of deal the new
capital would be placed on the Potomac (in the south)
Hamilton’s Financial Plan
•  The debt pay off was a success
▫  Made them attractive to foreign investors
▫  Capital pours into U.S.
•  Bank of the United States
▫  Modeled after the Bank of England
▫  Would collect taxes, hold government funds, make
loans to the governments and borrowers
•  Opposition: Unconstitutional?
•  Passed-1791, for 20 years
•  Washington’s thoughts?
Hamilton’s Financial Plan
•  Industrialization
▫  High tariffs designed to protect the nation’s
interest-end British manufacturing hold on U.S.
▫  Opposition: Jefferson, thought that
industrialization threatened agrarian society
▫  Hamilton: focus on investment, commerce, and
industry. Wants to move away from slave societymember of NY’s first anti-slavery society
Hamilton’s Financial Plan
•  Jefferson’s vision triumphed
▫  Painted Hamilton as an elitist and admirer of
Britain
▫  Portrayed himself as an advocate of
republicanism, equality, and economic
opportunity
–  Followed by farmers, craftsmen, small
manufacturers, artisans-all begin to support a New
Party-DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICANS
Balance of Power
• Federalists
• Democratic-Republicans
The Adams Presidency-1796-1800
The End of Federalist Supremacy
A poisoned Chalice?
•  1796-the LAST federalist victory
•  WHY?
▫  No “Washington glue” to hold together the parties
▫  Hamilton still the “father of federalism”
▫  Adams: uncertain, aloof, naive
▫  Adams-71, Jefferson-68 electoral votes
▫  President-Adams, Vice-President-Jefferson
X, Y, Z, Affair
•  French anger and U.S. and Great Britain over
the Jay Treaty
•  French refuse to accept a U.S. diplomat
•  Adams avoids war, seeks discussion
▫  Sends 3 diplomats to France
▫  French demand a loan and a bribe to meet and
discuss solution
▫  U.S. refuses-Anti-French fervor peaks
–  Anti-Republican fervor peaks too!
Impact
•  “Quasi-War” with France
•  Department of the Navy is established-85
French ships captured
•  REAL end of French-U.S. relations after the
Revolution
•  Federalists increase majority in Congress
Balance of Power
• Federalists
• Democratic-Republicans
Alien and Sedition Acts
•  Purpose: Silence Republicans for good!
▫  Republicans=foreign influence=bad!
▫  Acts
–  Citizenship requirement 4-15 years
–  President can jail/deport “undesirables”
–  Fine/Jail for seditious statements that threaten
government
–  Attacks Republican Press
–  1st Amendment Rights….Free Speech?
▫  Adams Uncertain…unwilling…unsure
Balance of Power
• Federalists
• Democratic Republicans
Virginia and Kentucky Resolves
•  VA and KY (Jefferson and Madison) using
Locke’s ideas
▫  States are the Central government
▫  They CAN declare acts VOID if they go beyond the
powers delegated to Congress
–  No other states jump on the bandwagon
–  But hugely effective for Republicans
–  Puts the issue on the National stage
Lyon vs. Griswold (1798)
•  Battle in Congress
"He in a trice struck Griswold thrice / Upon his head enraged, Sir; / Who seized
the tongs to ease his wrongs, / And Griswold thus engaged, Sir."
Balance of Power
•  Federalists
•  Democratic-Republicans
Election of 1800-Mudslinging
•  Jefferson vs. Adams-AGAIN
•  Jefferson now has a POPULAR ISSUE to
campaign on
•  Adams-perception
▫  “King reincarnated”
▫  “Limiter of Liberty”
Election of 1800 or the Revolution of 1800
•  Best laid plans go wrong!
•  Most votes=President
•  Second most=V.P.
▫  Electors vote for TWO people
▫  SO….Dem-Rep. want to make sure that Burr gets
the V.P.
–  BUT….some electors make mistake!
–  Jefferson=73
–  Burr=73
Election of 1800
•  A FEDERALIST Congress has to decide the
future REPUBLICAN President!
▫  Hamilton votes…for Jefferson!
–  Burr=too risky, unreliable
Balance of Power
• 
Federalists
•  Democratic Republicans
Election of 1800