What were some major issues that separated the Federalists and the Democratic

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Copy Citation

Share

Share

Share to social media

Facebook Twitter

URL

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anti-Federalists

Give Feedback

External Websites

Feedback

Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).

Feedback Type

Your Feedback Submit Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

  • UShistory - Antifederalists

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

  • Anti-Federalists - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
  • Anti-Federalists - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Print Cite

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Copy Citation

Share

Share

Share to social media

Facebook Twitter

URL

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anti-Federalists

Feedback

External Websites

Feedback

Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).

Feedback Type

Your Feedback Submit Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

  • UShistory - Antifederalists

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

  • Anti-Federalists - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
  • Anti-Federalists - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

By The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct 25, 2022

Table of Contents

What were some major issues that separated the Federalists and the Democratic

Henry, Patrick: in the House of Burgesses

See all media

Date:c. 1787 - c. 1791...(Show more)Areas Of Involvement:federalism states’ rights...(Show more)Related People:Albert Gallatin Robert R. Livingston Nathaniel Macon...(Show more)

See all related content →

Anti-Federalists, in early U.S. history, a loose political coalition of popular politicians, such as Patrick Henry, who unsuccessfully opposed the strong central government envisioned in the U.S. Constitution of 1787 and whose agitations led to the addition of a Bill of Rights. The first in the long line of states’ rights advocates, they feared the authority of a single national government, upper-class dominance, inadequate separation of powers, and loss of immediate control over local affairs. The Anti-Federalists were strong in the key states of Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. In North Carolina and Rhode Island they prevented ratification of the Constitution until after the new government had been established. Stilling their opposition in order to support the first administration of U.S. Pres. George Washington, the Anti-Federalists in 1791 became the nucleus of the Jeffersonian Republican Party (subsequently Democratic-Republican, finally Democratic) as strict constructionists of the new Constitution and in opposition to a strong national fiscal policy.

Often times in human history, some of the most important events have been spoken words. In 1796 one such event occurred. The stage was set for one of America’s greatest leaders to give his lasting words on what he felt the young republic should entrench upon its foundation.

At his farewell address, George Washington, a colossal man in American history, warned the American people of the threats as he saw them. Here he warned against “the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party.” He cautioned the American people of designing men who sought to divide the nation to gain political power.

What were some major issues that separated the Federalists and the Democratic
Image Source: Flickr

As you prepare for your AP® US History exam this is what you need to know about the Federalists vs. the Democratic-Republicans.  Because George Washington said so!  Even today this is a hotly debated topic and seemingly still somewhat undecided. How much power should the federal government have? And what can and can’t the federal government do with its power? That is why today some people like strong government and then again some people don’t.

What Was America Like Early On?

Despite Washington’s prophetic farewell words, the path was already set for America’s two political party system. In fact, this political back story had been brewing for quite some time – since the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Bill of Rights. America as a new nation had many difficult decisions to make on how it was going to be as a country. There was no real precedence to follow. Many mistakes were made despite extreme caution issued by our founding fathers.

At that time, America’s founding fathers and the earliest American politicians were still divided on how much power the Constitution gave its leaders. Even before passing the U.S. Constitution, the founding fathers released the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers arguing on behalf of and against a strong national government. Based upon the ideas of the Enlightenment and borrowed from the philosophies of men like John Locke and the Baron de Montesquieu, these papers argued the constraints of power and a government not based upon monarchy but democracy.

The Two Teams – The Federalists vs. the Democratic-Republicans

In one corner were the Federalists. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, were made up primarily of merchants, bankers, and industrialists alongside many wealthy plantation owners in the North and in the South. Most were well-educated property owners. The bulk of the group lived in New England. The Federalists passionately believed a large, powerful government was needed in order to control the factions. Certainly, this stemmed from the past failures of the Articles of Confederation (the government before the U.S. Constitution) and its failures to not only tax the newly formed Thirteen Colonies nor raise an army but also to control the newly formed republic.

The Federalists also believed that the common American at that time was largely ignorant and incapable of making intelligent decisions when it came to running the country. Because most of the Federalists were very wealthy, they did not want the power of voting in the hands of the lesser classes and believed with great fervor that the elite should rule.

In the other corner were the Democratic-Republicans. The Democratic-Republicans were led predominantly by Thomas Jefferson. Democratic-Republicans were mostly craftsmen and artisans, settlers in the frontier (which at that time was just past the Appalachian Mountains in the Northwest Territory), and poor farmers. Most were not very well educated. Although Jefferson himself was a man of great genius, his allure to these people lay with the fact that he was a complicated man who believed very strongly in the strength of a nation run by common man under a form of self-government.

This basic disagreement had been going on in American politics for quite some time before the two political factions finally split. In fact, during Washington’s presidency, Hamilton served as Washington’s first Secretary of Treasurer and Jefferson served as Washington’s Secretary of State. Can you imagine how heated the arguments were between both Jefferson and Hamilton behind closed doors? It is a wonder Washington got anything done! Likely both men were whispering into Washington’s ears bipolar advice about the nation, national power, and the duties of president and the direction of our country’s government (even though Washington was a Federalist in many views).

What were some major issues that separated the Federalists and the Democratic
Portrait of Alexander Hamilton

Hamilton vs. Jefferson

Like today, federal politics was very heated and passionate. During Washington’s presidency, Jefferson feared that Hamilton was going to move away from the republican structure of government under the Constitution and form a government based more closely on monarchy modeled after the English Constitution. Perhaps Jefferson’s fears were founded as the Federalist dominated national government during the 18th Century. Under Washington’s presidency, Hamilton and Jefferson battled constantly.

Hamilton, a renowned financier, was extremely powerful and wildly popular. Facing a wartime debt from the American Revolution, Hamilton attacked the debt, established the nation’s Federal bank system, the First Federal Bank of 1791, and created the U.S. Mint. Facing tremendous outside pressure, Hamilton resigned from his position in 1795. In the same light, Jefferson serving as first Secretary of State and using his experience as a foreign ambassador guided a young America against constant foreign affairs. Jefferson finally got so fed up with the constant barrage from Hamilton that he too resigned from his position in 1793.

The 12th Amendment

The same groups that formed during the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and had battled under Washington’s presidency formed again under the newly elected presidency of John Adams during the election of 1796. In fact, the split was so powerful that it necessitated the passing of the later 12th Amendment. The 12th Amendment was only ratified to change the Electoral College process by allowing both the president and vice-president to be on one political ticket. The framers of the Constitution in 1787 instead had focused on a nation run by the “best men,” but this was before the political factions had taken root. Not that it had not been in their minds – it had been a pretentious topic during the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

This is why during the ratification of the U.S. Constitution the Federalist Papers were also adopted. Coined by some of our greatest minds – written anonymously by men like James Madison, Jefferson, and under pseudonyms like Brutus and a Farmer, these papers constituted a sort of ideological war and were the basis of the differences that led to the later two-party political system.

Why the 12th Amendment Was Created

During the election of 1796, the Electoral College cast votes for four different men. Adams won by a narrow margin of 71-68 electoral votes. Adams (a Federalist) became president with his vice-president being Jefferson (a Democratic-Republican). Despite their differences, both had a favorable political relationship in the past and were able to see past these differences to work together for the most part during Adams’ presidency.

Once again in the election of 1800, the last election before the passing of the12th Amendment, the Electoral College still cast one vote per man. Jefferson, who now ran on a political ticket with Aaron Burr (who later shot and killed Hamilton in a duel) were Democrat-Republicans both running for President. Also running was Adams, who ran with Charles Pinckney, were Federalists both running for president. Jefferson won this election by a vote of 73-65 over Adams. Jefferson became president, and Burr became his vice-president (despite a tie vote between Jefferson and Burr that had to be decided by the House of Representatives and a stepping down by Burr).

Had this amendment not been passed, then both Federalists and Democratic-Republicans would have went on and be elected president and vice-president. Can you imagine what it would be like today if two people of two very different political parties could be elected as president and vice-president? Chaos!

The Election of 1804

During Jefferson’s election as president in 1804, the two-political system took hold. Jefferson easily defeated the Federalist, Pinckney, after the passing of the 12th Amendment. Presidential and vice-presidential votes were cast together with Jefferson’s vice-president being George Clinton (who also served under Jefferson’s successor, James Madison) winning by a landslide. Jefferson’s 45 percent point margin of victory remains the highest margin of victory in a presidential election in which there were multiple major party candidates. Every election for president after the election of 1804 was based upon this election. After this election, the Federalist Party was essentially defeated and washed away into political afterthought.

The Importance Today

Today this interpretation of power is known as the “strict versus loose” interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. Does the U.S. Constitution give the federal government power that is only in writing or power that is implied? And just like then, it is still hotly debated today. Since the passing of the “necessary and proper” clause in Article I of the Constitution and the decision of the Supreme Court case McCulloch vs. Maryland in 1819, the federal government has slowly become more and more powerful. And to many historians today, we as a country are a far cry from our republican roots and founding.

What cause the major split among the Federalist Party?

The party split over negotiations with France during President John Adams's administration, though it remained a political force until its members passed into the Democratic and the Whig parties in the 1820s.

What are 2 differences between the Federalists and Democratic

What is the difference between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans? The Federalists had support from wealthy people and from the upper class. The Democratic-Republicans, on the other hand, were supported largely by commoners and the middle class. The Federalists had a loose interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.

What issues divided the Democratic

Hamilton and the Federalists wanted a strong central government, run by well-educated property owners. Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans wanted most power to stay with the states and wanted the farmers and the 'common man' to run the nation.

What were the major concerns in the debate between Federalists and Anti

Federalists believed that a stronger national government would improve relationships between states and help create, as the Constitution stated, a “more perfect union.” Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, worried that a federal government with more power would be prone to tyranny.