Jeffersonian

2 Pages 599 Words

When it came to the federal Constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans usually held a strict interpretation of the Constitution opposed the broad constructionism of Federalists between 1800 and 1818. The Republicans demonstrated the beliefs of their party against those of the Federalists concerning the interpretation of the federal Constitution. The Jerrfersonian Republicans wanted to provide strong state governemnts for a nation of farmers. Jefferson, in the interests of his party and the nation tried to stave off war for and against the country. Everything that Jefferson and the Jeffersonian Republican's did though, was opposed by the Federalists.

Thomas Jefferson and his followers envisioned a society in stark contrast to that of the Federalists. They wanted to create a society of gentelman farmers with a small central government that held minimal control over the lives of the people and merely served to protect the individual rights of everyone under the Constitution. Jefferson stated to Presbyterian minister Samuel Miller, that the Constitution would be the only thing that the government would adhere to, and not even God could change that. (Document B) This vision did not come to pass. Jefferson was to preside over a nation that was continually growing more Federalist.

Jefferson was no “War Hawk.” Jefferson did everything he could to avoid war, he went as far as toestablished the Embargo Act, possibly the most umpopular move of his political career. This forbade ships leaving American ports for any foreign destination. This act was passed in hopes to avoid confrontation with hostile vessels. As a result of the Embargo Act, there was an economic depression, particularly in the Northeast, as presented in Alexander Anderson’s political cartoon of “OGRABME, or The American Snapping-turtle.” (Document C) As a result of the embargo, a third amendment was proposed to the Hartford Convention, January 4, 1805: This pre...