HIST 2111. Hamiltonian Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans in the 1790s

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HIST 2111
What were the most important divisions between the Hamiltonian Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans in the 1790s?
Hamilton and his supporters supported the view that America’s commercial elite ought to take up leadership position, while Jefferson, Madison focused on agrarian values, rather than finance and manufacturing. Divisions between the two groups were worsened by the French and Haitian Revolutions where there was disagreement on the meaning of republicanism, the limits of federal power, and the US foreign policy and standing at the international stage. One of gather economic policies favored by the Federalists was the establishment of a Central Bank. While Jefferson was not in favor of this and issuing debts.
To Jefferson, the country’s republican character meant that there was a need for the balance of power as envisioned in the constitution, and not the executive growing even more powerful. Additionally, Jefferson was one of the biggest supporters of a limited government he implemented a budget cut (Roark et al., 524). Agriculture was the main economic driver, but manufacturing also accounted for a big share of the economic activities. Hamilton proposed raising revenue using Whiskey tax and strengthening government finance, while conflict over economic policy remained one of the issues that caused division between the two political camps. Jefferson favored the land owning farmers to be the economic engine of the country and not the wage earning laborers as was the case in the manufacturing sector.
How did foreign policy issues affect the politics of the Jeffersonian presidency (1801-1809)?
Jefferson was keen on reducing the size of the government including recuing spending on the navy, but intensified piracy linked to the Barbary Coast, which made it necessary to establish a strong navy. The Navy became an essential part of the government at a time when the British could no longer protect American merchant ships as the US was now independent. The Federalists had been in favor of protecting the British interests unlike the Republicans.
Jefferson had to focus on national security and protecting the US at a time when there were hostilities from pirates and threats in the Mediterranean region (Roark et al., 526). Jefferson demonstrated that the US was capable of defending herself offshore.
The USS Philadelphia had been captured in Tripoli northern Africa in 1803, and while the sailors were later released there were continued attacks by Algiers and Tunis (Roark et al., 526-527).There were Napoleonic Wars w...