Hamilton v. Jefferson
Contrasting Worldviews that Forged a
Hamiltonian Reality for a New Nation
Presented By David C. Muzio
Fall 2010
Political Climate
• Revolutionary Consensus
(but Problems)
• Divide over Constitution
• “Gross and Distorted”
• “The Very Survival of
Republican Liberty Riding
In the Balance”
The Parties
• Jeffersonians- “Rights of the people” or
Anarchists
Led by Thomas Jefferson
• FederalistsBalance of power or
“for hereditary power”
Led by Alexander Hamilton
Overview of the Leaders
Background of Alexander
Hamilton
Youth
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Born in West Indies
Illegitimate/poor
Informal Education
Respect of blacks
Management of
commercial affairs
• Longing for War
• Off to America
Young Man in a New Country
• “Boy Genius”
• Washington’s aidede- camp
• Management of
Washington’s affairs
• A Different outlook
Post-War
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Strong Law Practice
Rule of law emphasis
Member of Congress
NY Legislature
Annapolis Convention
Philadelphia
The Formation of Thought
• Predisposition to
commerce
• Opposition to elite
• Military
• Negative outlook on
nature of man
• National View
Background of Thomas
Jefferson
Virginia Aristocrat
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Born in Virginia
Aristocrat
Fascination with father
Heterogeneous society
“Inferiority of blacks”
Education
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Leisurely upbringing
Educational “delight”
English school at 5
Classical school at 9
“tributaries of his
mind ran in all
directions”
Upper Education
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William & Mary
Classics
French Enlightenment
George Wythe
Lawyer
Politician
• House of Burgesses
• Radical Tobacco
Planter
• Continental Congress
• Declaration
• Governor
• Ambassador to France
Experiences
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Agrarian
Legislator/Diplomat
Idealistic Thinker
Intellect
Thought
Religion
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Neither overly religious
Hamilton: Calvinist
Jefferson: Deist/Atheist
Faith v. Morality
Truth
Nature of Man
Hamilton: “Distressed, Helpless”, Humean:
“man ought to be supposed a knave”,
“ambitious, vindictive, rapacious, Hobbes
Jefferson: “perfectibility of man”, reason,
remaking of society, virtue
Hamilton Philosophy
• Emphasis on history
• Nature of man: wicked
• Work within existing
society/Harness passions
• Hume, Smith, Hobbes
Locke
• Strong central govt.
• Commerce
Jefferson Philosophy
• Reason/Intellect
• Perfectibility of man
• Bacon, Newton, Locke,
Rousseau
• French Enlightenment
• Weak Social Contract
• Natural Rights (no property)
• Agrarian
Authority
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Hamilton: the people
Jefferson: the states
Hamilton: meritocracy
Jefferson: democracy
Hamilton: “watchful jealousy”
Jefferson: revolution
Personality
• Hamilton: outgoing, militaristic, action,
masculine, ambitious, focused, workaholic,
realist, direct, confrontational
• Jefferson: quiet, introspective,
“womanish,” intellectual, idealist, leisurely,
avoids confrontation, hides behind
surrogates of paper
Not “men… but visions”
Early Issues in Washington
Administration
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Role of Constitution
The people v. states
State/Treasury
Discrimination
Hamiltonian Economics
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Report on Public Credit
Assumption
Bank of the U.S.
Report on Manufactures
Based on British system,
not subservient to British
interests
Jefferson Response
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Alternative Plan
Coalescing Support
Philip Freneau
Hamilton=Monarchist
Foreign Policy
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Citizen Genet
Jefferson pro-French
Hamilton for neutrality
Military/War
Hamilton and
American exceptionalism
Executive
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British style system
Monarchy v. Prime Minister
Engine of govt.?
Everything not expressly
forbidden
• “Less harm and more good”
• Most tyrannical?
• Enumerated powers
Legislative
• Most important?
• Local v. National interests
• Closest to will of the
people
• States
Judiciary/Constitution
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Constitution as “Bulwark”
Judicial Review
Kentucky Resolutions
John Marshall
Nullification/Calhoun
As seen in History
• Hamilton: JQ Adams,
Jackson (executive),
Lincoln, Lodge, TR,
Reagan, Clinton
• Jefferson: Calhoun,
Jackson (popularism),
Wilson, FDR, Obama
As seen through History
• “World was not made
for me”
• Era of Jeffersonianism
• Civil War
• Late 19th, early 20th
• New Deal
• Resurgence for Hamilton
Conclusions
• Biography/Thought
superb forecasters
• Both misunderstood
• Forrest McDonald
• Hamilton’s policies
essential
• Big v. Strong govt.
As seen in Present Day?
• U.S. not consisting of
one or the other
• Jefferson/Obama similar
foreign policy and values
• Yet, Tea Party Jeffersonian
• Hamilton/Romney
similar?
• Increasingly seen?
Recommended Reading
• Chernow, Ron. 2004. Alexander Hamilton. New York, NY: Penguin
Group.
• Elkins, Stanley and Eric McKitrick. 1993. The Age of Federalism.
New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
• Harper, John Lamberton. 2004. American Machiavelli: Alexander
Hamilton and the Origins of U.S. Foreign Policy. New York, NY:
Cambridge University Press.
• Peterson, Merrill D. 1960. The Jefferson Image in the American
Mind. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
• Peterson, Merrill D. 1970. Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation: A
Biography. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
• Vidal, Gore. 2003. Inventing a Nation: Washington, Adams, and
Jefferson. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Graphic Citations
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http://www.equinus-sapientia.net/fan/hamiltonjefferson/
http://www.vermonthistory.org/freedom_and_unity/new_frontier/lion.html
http://www.jackmillercenter.org/2010/03/alexander-hamilton-gps/
http://www.orlogsmuseet.dk/udstil/pirat/caribbean.htm
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/5028
http://www.free-ed.net/sweethaven/SocialStudies/USHistory/USHistory01.asp?iNum=0408
http://www.boldhearts.com/sources_consulted.htm
http://hubpages.com/hub/Famous-peoples-Birthdays-for-the-11th-January
http://conservetiveadolecent.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/24800/24807/virginia_24807.htm
http://picture-book.com/taxonomy/term/1596
http://twoh-fathersday.blogspot.com/2009/06/july-4th-independence-day-2009.html
http://www.constitution.org/cs_image.htm
http://www.christianladybug.com/bibleverses.htm
http://homepage.newschool.edu/het//profiles/rousseau.htm
http://vulgarmorality.wordpress.com/2010/03/06/truth-and-enlightenment/
Continued
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http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/04/americans-take-back-theship.html
http://www.solarnavigator.net/history/george_washington.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_Bank_of_the_United_States.jpg
http://www.hbo.com/john-adams/cast-and-crew/alexander-hamilton/index.html
http://www.digitaltrends.com/green-technology/google-att-push-white-house-forhome-energy-use-summit/
http://www.corante.com/brainwaves/
http://4playerpodcast.com/2010/11/02/games-as-porn-supreme-court-case-notlooking-good-for-california/
http://bookexcerpts.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/american-lion-andrew-jackson-in-thewhite-house-by-newsweeks-editor-jon-meacham/
http://franklindrooseveltfacts.com/
http://www.wtv-zone.com/Mary/OBAMA.HTML