Mini-Lesson: Conflict in the Cabinet - Hamilton vs. Jefferson
AP U.S. History
75 minutes
1) Bell Ringer (5 min)
Project the prompt.
Cue the video clip
2) Debrief the Bell Ringer (3 min)
Get a few responses for each prompt
Fill in any gaps
3) Scaffold and watch the Clip "Hamilton Takes Jefferson to School" (7 min)
"To give context to what we are studying, we are going to watch a clip from the HBO mini-series John
Adams, which is based on the book (show them) by author David McCullough. What do I mean by giving
context?"
http://www.voutube.com/watch?v=notJuFGXQ.9w&feature=related
Set up the clip (setting, characters, circumstances)
o
Spring 1790 - Cabinet meeting in NYC, the President's residence and current capital
o
Jefferson has just returned from a long stay in France
o
Adams, as VP, is in the room as well.
o
Pay close attention to Washington's body language.
o
See if you can tell whose side VP Adams favors?
4) Debrief the Clip (3 min)
o
What did you see, notice? Especially with respect to Washington
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Can we say anything about Hamilton's and Jefferson's personalities?
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How might their conflict affect President Washington's ability to do his job?
o
"As you can imagine, it was quite difficult for Washington to handle the conflict between
Hamilton and Jefferson. After all, he was a military man first and a politician second.
Furthermore, he did not possess equivalent expertise in matters of law, finance, diplomacy,
business, philosophy, etc. that his cabinet members (Hamilton and Jefferson) did. He needed
these men to be at their best in order for him to be an effective President while the republic was
so new and fragile. Clearly, he was frustrated by the factions forming within his own cabinet.
What were the two factions?"
5) Secondary Source Review: Pearson piece (12 min)
o
Distribute handout
o
Project handout
o
Describe handout
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Read handout aloud and ask questions throughout
o
Collect handout
6) Primary Source Review: Paired Reading/Jigsaw - GW, AH & TJ Correspondence (20 min)
•
"Approximately two years following the film clip, George Washington exchanged letters with
Hamilton & Jefferson in which references were made about the conflict between them. [Project the
AH & TJ letters] We're going to examine these primary documents and complete a graphic
organizer worksheet"
i. [Project the graphic organizer], distribute it, review it, and ask if there are questions.
ii. Students get out of their desks, come to the middle of the room, and choose a partner.
In pairs, they line up next to each other, with half on one side of the room and half on
the other side.
iii.
Teacher assigns numbers one and two to each respective side. "Ones" get GW & AH
letters, "Twos" get GW & TJ letters. WRITE YOUR NUMBER AT THE TOP OF YOUR
WORKSHEET. Teacher passes letter sets out to pairs. Teacher suggests that the
stronger reader take the role of GW. Each pair must decide on roles.
iv. Teacher tells students to face each other and read aloud to each other. Students can sit
or stand anywhere they would like.
v.
Following reading to each other, each pair works on its respective side of the graphic
organizer, completing items 1-3. DO NOT WORK ON THE ITEM AT THE BOTTOM YET.
Teacher encourages students to ask questions if needed during this phase. Teacher asks
student pairs to return to their respective assigned seats when they are finished with
items 1-3.
vi. [Project letters]
•
Jigsaw (10 min)
o
In order to complete the other side of the worksheet, each student must find a new partner
with an opposite number. GET UP AND MOVE AROUND.
o
Pairs must report to one another and complete the other side of their respective graphic
organizers.
o
Teacher asks student pairs to return to their respective assigned seats once the graphic
organizer is complete.
7) Debrief the Primary Source Review Activity (12 min)
o
Elicit a variety of responses
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Probe for consensus, disagreement
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Ask students to use evidence to support their responses
8) Homework Assessment- Entry Ticket (3 min)*
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As a homework assignment and entry ticket to the next class, students must respond to the
prompt at the bottom of the worksheet.
o
We will share responses at the beginning of the next class.
*An alternative or additional assessment would be to do Percocco's "Historical Heads", with Hamilton and
Jefferson as opposing historical heads. To do this effectively, we'd need to develop the characters with more
authentic biographical information using multimedia and primary and secondary source material.
Conflict in the Cabinet, 1792
Prior Knowledge
On your own, please write down at least one thing you know about:
•Thomas Jefferson's political affiliation and beliefs
•Alexander Hamilton's political affiliation and beliefs
•The relationship between both men
You have five minutes.
It is Spring 1790. The cabinet meets for the first time in New York City at the
President's residence. Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton is at the peak of
his power. Secretary of State Jefferson has just returned from a long stay in
France. Vice President Adams is in the room. Pay close attention to President
Washington's body language. See if you can tell whose side (Hamilton's or
Jefferson's) Adams favors? Washington?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=notJuFGXQ9w&feature=related
Essential Question: How did the debate between Jefferson and Hamilton help
shape the political system of the United States?
By Ellen Holmes Pearson, Associate Professor of History, University of North Carolina - Asheville
In George Washington's Farewell Address (1796), the retiring president warned that the
creation of political factions, "sharpened by the spirit of revenge/' would most certainly lead to
"formal and permanent despotism." Despite Washington's cautionary words, two of his closest
advisors, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, helped to form the factions that led to the
dual party system under which the U.S. operates today. Other men, most notably James
Madison and John Adams, also contributed to the formation of political parties, but Hamilton
and Jefferson came to represent the divisions that shaped the early national political landscape.
Although both men had been active in the Revolutionary effort and in the founding of the
United States, Jefferson and Hamilton did not work together until Washington appointed
Jefferson the first secretary of State and Hamilton the first secretary of the Treasury. From the
beginning, the two men harbored opposing visions of the nation's path. Jefferson believed that
America's success lay in its agrarian tradition. Hamilton's economic plan hinged on the
promotion of manufactures and commerce. While Hamilton distrusted popular will and
believed that the federal government should wield considerable power in order to steer a
successful course, Jefferson placed his trust in the people as governors. Perhaps because of
their differences of opinion, Washington made these men his closest advisors.
Hamilton's economic plan for the nation included establishing a national bank like that in
England to maintain public credit; consolidating the states' debts under the federal
government; and enacting protective tariffs and government subsidies to encourage American
manufactures. All of these measures strengthened the federal government's power at the
expense of the states. Jefferson and his political allies opposed these reforms. Francophile
Jefferson feared that the Bank of the United States represented too much English influence,
and he argued that the Constitution did not give Congress the power to establish a bank. He did
not believe that promoting manufactures was as important as supporting the alreadyestablished agrarian base. Jefferson deemed "those who labour in the earth" the "chosen
people of God . . . whose breasts he has made his peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine
virtue." He advised his countrymen to "let our work-shops remain in Europe."
When George Washington's administration began, the two camps that formed during the
Constitutional ratification debates - those groups known as the Federalists and Anti-Federalists
- had not yet solidified into parties. But, disagreements over the nation's direction were
already eroding any hope of political unity. In May of 1792, Jefferson expressed his fear to
Washington about Hamilton's policies, calling Hamilton's allies in Congress a "corrupt
squadron." He expressed fear that Hamilton wished to move away from the Constitution's
republican structure, toward a monarchy modeled after the English constitution. That same
month, Hamilton confided to a friend that "Mr. Madison cooperating with Mr. Jefferson is at
the head of a faction decidedly hostile to me and my administration, and . . . dangerous to the
union, peace and happiness of the Country."
By the time Jefferson and John Adams vied for the presidency in 1796, political factions had
formed under the labels "Republicans" and "Federalists." In fact, by 1804 the advent of political
parties necessitated a constitutional amendment that changed the electoral process to allow
president/vice president tickets on the ballot. The Federalists dominated the national
government through the end of the 18th century. Despite President Washington's efforts at
unity, political differences proved to be too deep to promote consensus. The Republican Party
emerged as organized opposition to Federalist policies, and despite Jefferson's assurances in his
first inaugural address that Americans were "all republicans" and "all federalists," faction had
solidified into party.
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George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, August 26,1792
(Private)
Mount Vernon, August 26,1792.
My dear Sir:
Differences in political opinions are as unavoidable as, to a certain point, they may, perhaps, be necessary; but
it is exceedingly to be regretted that subjects cannot be discussed with temper on the one hand, or decisions
submitted to without having the motives which led to them improperly implicated on the other: and this
regret borders on chagrin when we find that men of abilities, zealous patriots, having the same general
objects in view, and the same upright intentions to prosecute them, will not exercise more charity in deciding
on the opinions and actions of one another. When matters get to such lengths, the natural inference is, that
both sides have strained the Cords beyond their bearing, and, that a middle course would be found the best,
until experience shall have decided on the right way, or, which is not to be expected, because it is denied to
mortals, there shall be some infallible rule by which we could fore-judge events.
Having premised these things, I would fain hope that liberal allowances will be made for the political opinions
of each other; and instead of those wounding suspicions, and irritating charges, with which some of our
Gazettes are so strongly impregnated, and cannot fail if persevered in, of pushing matters to extremity, and
thereby to tear the Machine asunder, that there might be mutual forbearances and temporizing yields on all
sides. Without these I do not see how the Reins of government are to be managed, or how the Union of the
States can be much longer preserved.
How unfortunate would it be if a fabric so goodly, erected under so many Providential circumstances, and in
its first stages, having acquired such respectability, should from diversity of sentiments or internal
obstructions to some of the acts of Government (for I cannot prevail on myself to believe that these measures
are as yet the deliberate acts of a determined party) should be harrowing our vitals in such a manner as to
have brought us to the verge of dissolution. Melancholy thought! But one at the same time that it shows the
consequences of diversified opinions, when pushed with too much tenacity, it exhibits evidence also of the
necessity of accommodation, and of the propriety of adopting such healing measures as may restore harmony
to the discordant members of the Union, and the Governing powers of it.
I do not mean to apply this advice to any measures which are passed or to any particular character; I have
given it in the same general terms to other Officers of the Government. My earnest wish is, that balsam may
be poured into all the wounds which have been given, to prevent them from gangrening and from those fatal
consequences which the community may sustain if it is with held. The friends of the Union must wish this;
those who are not, but wish to see it ended, will be disappointed, and all things I hope will go well.
Affectionate regards of yours, &c.
George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, August 23,1792
(Private)
Mount Vernon, August 23, 1792.
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My dear Sir:
How unfortunate, and how much is it to be regretted, that whilst we are encompassed on all sides with
avowed enemies and insidious friends [reference to Native Americans and Spaniards], that internal
dissensions should be harrowing and tearing our vitals. The last, to me, is the most serious, the most alarming,
and the most afflicting of the two. And without more charity for the opinions and acts of one another in
Governmental matters, or some more infallible criterion by which the truth of speculative opinions, before
they have undergone the test of experience, are to be forejudged than has yet fallen to the lot of fallibility, I
believe it will be difficult, if not impracticable, to manage the Reins of Government or to keep the parts of it
together: for if, instead of laying our shoulders to the machine after measures are decided on, one pulls this
way and another that, before the utility of the thing is fairly tried, it must, inevitably, be torn asunder. And, in
my opinion the fairest prospect of happiness and prosperity that ever was presented to man, will be lost,
perhaps forever!
My earnest wish, and my fondest hope therefore is, that instead of wounding suspicions, and irritable charges,
there may be liberal allowances, mutual forbearances, and temporizing yields on all sides. Under the exercise
of these, matters will go on smoothly, and, if possible, more prosperously. Without them everything must rub;
the Wheels of Government will clog; our enemies will triumph, and by throwing their weight into the
disaffected Scale, may accomplish the ruin of the goodly fabric we have been erecting.
I do not mean to apply these observations, or this advice to any particular person, or character. I have given
them in the same general terms to other Officers of the Government; because the disagreements which have
arisen from difference of opinions, and the Attacks which have been made upon almost all the measures of
government, and most of its Executive Officers, have, for a long time past, filled me with painful sensations;
and cannot fail I think, of producing unhappy consequences at home and abroad.
With sincere esteem and friendship I am &c.
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STANFORD HISTORY EDUCATION GROUP
READING LIKE A
Alexander Hamilton Letter to George Washington, 1792
(Modified)
Dear Sir,
I have received your letter of August 26th. I sincerely regret that you
have been made to feel uneasy in your administration. I will do
anything to smooth the path of your administration, and heal the
differences, though I consider myself the deeply injured party.
I /cflowthat I have been an object of total opposition from Mr.
Jefferson. I know from the most authentic sources, that I have been
the frequent subject of most unkind whispers by him. I have watched
a party form in the Legislature, with the single purpose of opposing
me. I believe, from all the evidence I possess, that the National
Gazette (a newspaper) was instituted by Jefferson for political
purposes, with its main purpose to oppose me and my department.
Nevertheless, I can truly say that, besides explanations to confidential
friends, I never directly or indirectly responded to these attacks, until
very recently.
But when I saw that they were determined to oppose the banking
system, which would ruin the credit and honor of the Nation, I
considered it my duty to resist their outrageous behavior.
Nevertheless, I pledge my honor to you Sir, that if you shall form a
plan to reunite the members of your administration, I will faithfully
cooperate. And I will not directly or indirectly say or do a thing to
cause a fight. I have the honor to remain
Sir, Your most Obedient and Humble servant
A Hamilton
Source: This letter was written by Alexander Hamilton to President
George Washington on September 9, 1792. Hamilton was Secretary
of the Treasury in Washington's administration.
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
STANFORD HISTORY EDUCATION GROUP
READING LIKE A
Thomas Jefferson Letter to George Washington, 1792
(Modified)
DEAR SIR,
I received your letter of August 23rd. You note that there have been
internal tensions in your administration. These tensions are of great
concern to me. I wish that you should know the whole truth.
I have never tried to convince members of the legislature to defeat
the plans of the Secretary of Treasury. I value too highly their
freedom of judgment. I admit that I have, in private conversations,
disapproved of the system of the Secretary of Treasury. However,
this is because his system stands against liberty, and is designed to
undermine and demolish the republic.
I would like for these tensions to fade away, and my respect for you is
enough motivation to wait to express my thoughts until I am again a
private citizen. At that point, however, I reserve the right to write
about the issues that concern the republic.
I will not let my retirement be ruined by the lies of a man who
history—if history stoops to notice him—will remember a person who
worked to destroy liberty. -Still, I repeat that I hope I will not have to
write such a thing.
I trust that you know that I am not an enemy to the republic, nor a
waster of the country's money, nor a traitor, as Hamilton has written
about me.
In the meantime I am with great and sincere affection and respect,
dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant.
Thomas Jefferson
Source: This letter was written by Thomas Jefferson to President
George Washington on September 9, 1792. Jefferson was Secretary
of State in Washington's administration.
~
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
Conflict in the Cabinet, 1792: Examining Primary Source Documents
Correspondence: George Washington (GW) & Alexander Hamilton (AH)
Correspondence: George Washington (GW) & Thomas Jefferson (TJ)
1) What is the purpose of each letter, i.e. why is one man writiriR to the other?
1) What is the purpose of each letter, i.e. why is one man writing to the other?
GW to AH (August 26, 1792)
GW to TJ (August 23, 1792)
AH to GW (September 9, 1792)
TJ to GW (September 9, 1792)
2) Describe something from each letter that stood out or caught your attention.
2) Describe something from each letter that stood out or caught your attention.
GW to AH (August 26, 1792)
GW to TJ (August 23, 1792)
AH to GW (September 9, 1792)
TJ to GW (September 9, 1792)
3) Choose a quote (1-2 sentences max.) from one of the letters and explain how and
why it captures the essence of the conflict in the cabinet.
3) Choose a quote (1-2 sentences max.) from one of the letters and explain how and
why it captures the essence of the conflict in the cabinet.
In one sentence, and in your own words, describe how the conflict between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson embodies one of our four enduring themes of U.S.
History (Nationalism vs. Sectionalism; Federal power vs. States' Rights; Pursuit of Liberty and Equality; People Respond to Incentives). Or, you may create a "bumper
sticker" slogan that does the same thing. If you choose the latter, be creative and concise! Please write your answer on the back of this graphic organizer worksheet.