Today, I will learn how a two-party system was developed in America.
My job is to classify the different political parties and identify their platforms.
The New Nation
The first 20 years of the United States government was full of issues and conflicts. From the Bill
of Rights to the Election of 1800, from the Judiciary Act to the formation of two political
parties, the United States experienced change, confusion, and the establishment of the federal
government as the supreme power in this new country.
A Two-Party System
As George Washington prepared to leave the Presidency, two political parties appeared on the
scene: the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, and the Democratic-Republicans, led by
Thomas Jefferson.
The Federalists emerged in the 1790s under Alexander Hamilton. Federalists supported a
strong central government and believed in a broad interpretation of the Constitution through the
elastic clause. Federalists also supported Hamilton in his creation of a national bank and his
desire for the U.S. to pay back its debts from the Revolutionary War. Federalists were supported
by merchants and traders who were encouraged by the strong principles of the centralized
government.
The Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, were started as an opposition to the
Federalists. Supporting the needs and aspirations of yeoman farmers, Democratic Republicans
supported farmers rather than merchants. Democratic-Republicans supported a weak national
government that left the states to make major decisions, and they believed in a narrow
interpretation of the Constitution. They opposed the creation of a national bank and many other
issues that Alexander Hamilton supported.
Important Events and Issues
Shays' Rebellion, 1786
After the American Revolutionary War, many states raised taxes in order to pay off war
debt. Small farmers were often unable to pay the high taxes, which usually resulted in
their property being confiscated. Daniel Shays, a veteran of the Continental Army, led a
rebellion of poor farmers in Massachusetts who demanded debt relief, lower taxes, and
protections against property seizures. The rebellion, which began in late 1786 and lasted
until early 1787, convinced many people that the federal government needed stronger
powers to protect the economic rights of individuals against local policies.
Judiciary Act of 1789
This act set up the national court system, which is made up of circuit courts, district
courts, and the Supreme Court, according to the Constitution.
Bill of Rights, 1791
Also known as the first ten amendments of the Constitution, these amendments were
ratified within two years of the date they were written.
President Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality, 1793
With the breakout of war between France and Great Britain in 1793, the United States
found itself in a difficult diplomatic position because it had signed the Treaty of Alliance
with France in 1778. Even though the U.S. had signed this agreement, the U.S. chose not
to participate in the war. George Washington issued the Proclamation of Neutrality, and
the United States did not help either side.
Whiskey Rebellion, 1794
In 1791, Congress passed a tax on whiskey made in the United States. Many farmers in
western Pennsylvania grew grain that was used to make whiskey and also distilled it.
They thought the tax was unfair and refused to pay it. In 1794, riots broke out. The
federal government sent militia to Pennsylvania to stop the riots. This was the first time
that the federal government had to use force in order to make sure that its laws were
being followed.
President Washington's Farewell Address, 1796
Before George Washington retired from the presidency in 1797, he wrote a letter to the
American people detailing how he believed the country should run. One of Washington's
main arguments was that the country should not enter into extended treaties or
agreements with other countries. This could be done by avoiding foreign wars that did
not directly impact the United States. Another important point that Washington made in
his address was that the two major political parties in the U.S. should try to get along
better. He knew the parties did not agree on many issues, and he believed this would
cause problems in the future. He said in his letter that Americans should try to unite for
the good of the country.
Creation of the Navy Department, 1797
In the late 1790s, tensions grew between the United States and France because the French
began seizing U.S. ships. In 1797, the U.S. sent diplomats to France in order to negotiate
continued peace between the two countries. The French, however, were upset following
anti-French remarks made by U.S. President John Adams. The French demanded that
Adams apologize and that the U.S. pay a bribe of $250,000. This event, known as the
XYZ Affair, angered the American government. As a result, the United States began to
increase its defense spending, creating the Navy Department and building up the army.
Though there was never a formal declaration of war, the U.S. armed forces increased as a
result of the tensions.
Alien and Sedition Acts, 1798
In 1798, Congress passed four laws known as the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were
directed at the Democratic-Republican party and its supporters. The Alien Act increased
the number of years required to live in the U.S. before becoming a U.S. citizen from five
years to 14. The Sedition Act made it illegal for U.S. citizens to say or write critical
remarks about the government. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wrote papers that
protested these acts. They argued that states had a right to declare them null and void.
The state legislatures of Kentucky and Virginia passed resolutions saying they could
declare federal laws null and void. The Federalists did not agree with the Kentucky and
Virginia Resolutions because they thought only the Supreme Court could declare a law
unconstitutional. This issue of state power vs. national power was not resolved until later.
Election of 1800
Before 1804, the president was elected by having the most electoral votes, and the person
with the second-most votes became vice president. In 1800, Thomas Jefferson and his
running mate Aaron Burr received the same number of votes, with current President John
Adams coming in third and losing the election. The Federalist-dominated House of
Representatives, which then had the right to select the president, almost elected Aaron
Burr in order to deny the presidency to Thomas Jefferson. They eventually voted to elect
Jefferson after Alexander Hamilton convinced them that Burr was a worse choice. In
1804, the 12th Amendment was passed, separating the voting for president and vice
president.
Marbury v. Madison, 1803
At the end of John Adams' term, he appointed his supporters to positions as judges and
court officers. They were called "Midnight Judges." They did not receive their
documentation to begin their positions before Adams left office. Newly elected President
Jefferson instructed Secretary of State James Madison not to give appointees their papers.
One appointee, William Marbury, sued Madison for his papers. The case, Marbury v.
Madison, made it to the Supreme Court in 1803. There, Chief Justice John Marshall
stated the opinion that the Court did not have the power to make Madison give Marbury
his papers. The Court ruled that the part of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that granted the
Court the power to do so was unconstitutional. It was the first time the Supreme Court
declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.
Louisiana Purchase, 1803
In 1803, the United States acquired the Louisiana Territory from France. This territorial
acquisition more than doubled the size of the U.S. Because the Constitution did not
specifically give the president the power to purchase territory, there were doubts about
whether the Louisiana Purchase was legal. Jefferson decided, however, that it was in the
nation's
best
interest
to
buy
the
territory.
Embargo Act, 1807
At the time of the Embargo Act of 1807, Great Britain and France were fighting in a war,
and both countries wanted to restrict trade with the other country. Both countries said
they would attack ships heading to their enemy's ports. The United States, which had
been exporting goods to both countries, passed the Embargo Act, which prohibited
American exports to all foreign ports. The U.S. hoped this act would keep them out of the
war between Great Britain and France. The act hurt American businesses and was lifted
in favor of the Non-Intercourse Act, which allowed American exports to all countries
except Great Britain and France.