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Compare Thomas Jefferson's Approach To The Formation Of Centralized Government

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“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny,” said Thomas Jefferson, who believed in strict constitutional interpretation, a simple republican society, and the opposition of a powerful, centralized government. Opposed to Hamiltonian visions such as an industrialized nation, a powerful centralized government, the U.S Bank, high tariffs, and an approbation towards the white collar or upper class, Jefferson proposed ideals of agrarianism, a weak centralized government allowing more power to the individual, a miniscule standing army, and an approbation towards the blue collar or working class. Though Jefferson proposed many of these ideas, he was not able to act on many of them throughout his presidency. Due to certain circumstances dealing with war, the Embargo Act, and other urgencies during his presidency, Jefferson was forced into leading a more powerful, centralized government, contesting with his original hopes for the nation.
During Washington’s time as president, state secretary, Jefferson and treasury secretary, Hamilton disagreed on several topics. Hamilton proposed a Bank of the United States that could print paper money and create a stable national currency. Jefferson, …show more content…

Due to important circumstances dealing with the First Bank of the United States, the Tripolitan War, the Louisiana purchase, the Embargo Act, and other urgencies during his presidency, Jefferson was forced into leading a more powerful, centralized government, contradictory with his original hopes for the

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In the 1790s, before their presidencies, the views of Jefferson and Madison differed from those of Hamilton. Hamilton, a Federalist, supported a strong central government that could enforce the law and uphold the Constitution. (Doc B) Before

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Under President Thomas Jefferson, the politics and direction of the Nation began to change in a huge way. The Jefferson Presidency was a very dynamic one, as President Adams (a Federalist) had stacked the cards against Jefferson in the presidential election of 1800 (Shultz, 2013). President Adams appointed several U.S. Supreme Court judges that held onto Federalist ideas. Thomas Jefferson, however, was considered a Democratic-Republican. Democratic-Republicans, in general, sought to limit the power of the national government and military (Feldmeth, n.d.).

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1. What changes did Jefferson try to make in the relationship between government and the people? Thomas Jefferson tried to make drastic changes in the government. The biggest thing that Jefferson tried to do was make equal opinions among the people and the Government. He also made sure that the people were elected as officials and had a say in the Government.

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Thomas Jefferson during the 1790’s-1800’s while working with federalists Alexander Hamilton, his viewpoints were different. During the 1790’s Jefferson was known to be in the democratic-republican party where he progresses an ideal structure of equivalencies between money and weight standards with the American/Spanish currency. Jefferson took charge of the republicans after a conflict created two parties, republican-democratic and the federalist, who empathized with the revolutionary cause in France. While attacking the federalist policies, Jefferson opposed a strong centralized government and granted the rights of states. While Jefferson was in presidency, he cut down on the Army and Navy expenditures, cut the U.S. budget, eliminated the tax

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Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of Treasury, had a vision of a strong national government and a strong national economy. He proposed a multi-facet plan to help the states and federal government out of debt. A large component of this plan was to create a National Bank. Alexander’s plan was strongly opposed by Jefferson’s Party as they found it unconstitutional for Congress to pass this bill to give the federal government control over a National Bank. They feared a strong central government, as active opponents of the English government and argued that giving too much power to the federal government could lead to tyranny.

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This included the idea of a single currency and having that throughout the U.S. as a way to make things simpler and more efficient (Digital History). This was something Jefferson did agree with saying “It may be said that a bank, whose bills would have a currency all over the states, would be more convenient than one whose currency is limited to a single state (Thomas Jefferson-University of Virginia Press).'' The only problem that Jefferson had with this was that banks would also control people's loans and control their credit. Jefferson thought this would only cause financial corruption throughout the U.S. He felt this would only undermine the state banks that were in order and create a “financial monopoly” only benefiting foreign interests and the wealthy.

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425 Words | 2 Pages

Thomas Jefferson had a better policy regarding the role of government because he wanted people to be the main source of power. Jefferson favored a limited national government and wanted local and state governments to have more power. He also had a strict interpretation of the Constitution. Jefferson believed that people should follow exactly what was stated and allowed in the document. Thomas Jefferson believed that states should have more power than the federal government.

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From 1794-1824, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had contrasting views on how the government and country should operate. Hamilton focused on fixing short-term financial issues through his Financial Plan by uniting the states under a national bank and creating protective tariffs to establish American manufacturing. Jefferson opposed many of Hamilton's ideas because he feared they would give too much power to the federal government. He encouraged farming and resisted Hamilton's belief in a strong manufacturing system. Both visions fought one another to gain favor, but one was more prominent overall.

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586 Words | 3 Pages

Jefferson v. Hamilton There are many conflicts in the early years of the American politics. There are two famous political parties during the early years of American Independence, and their ideologies were completely opposite. Thomas Jefferson was the third American President from 1801-1809. Alexander Hamilton was the founder of Federalist party and President Washington elected him as a first secretary of the treasurer.

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He successfully argued for the assumption of state debts by the federal government and the establishment of the first national bank – a private, but partially government-owned institution. He firmly established the principles of financial trading. Due to his efforts, the creditworthiness of the United States was restored. Hamilton’s accomplishments as Treasury Secretary were not achieved without a struggle. His congressional opponents tried to exhaust him by demanding detailed reports on the workings of the treasury department with incredibly short delivery dates.

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283 Words | 2 Pages

Political parties, Democratic Republicans and Federalists, started in the U.S. because of differing views of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, and the influence of newspapers. Jefferson’s and Hamilton’s different ways of thinking(mostly on issues that was beneficial for the country) played a huge part in the start of political parties. They fought about economy. Jefferson liked farming while Hamilton preferred manufacturing and trade. Interpretation of the Constitution was another thing they fought upon.

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Hamilton 's monetary course of action for the nation included working up a national bank like that in England to keep up open credit; cementing the states ' commitments under the focal government; and initiating guarded tolls and government enrichments to empower American makes. These measures fortified the administration 's vitality to the hindrance of the states. Jefferson and his political accomplices limited these progressions. Francophile Jefferson expected that the Bank of the United States addressed an inordinate measure of English effect, and he battled that the Constitution did not give Congress the capacity to set up a bank. He didn 't assume that propelling produces was as basic as supporting the authoritatively settled agrarian base.

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Hamilton wanted to create public credit with a treasury system, a national bank, a mint, and increase manufacturing which would help unify the country. On the other hand, there was Jefferson, who opposed a strong central government. He argued that the “wealthy would gain at the expense of ordinary Americans and that Hamilton’s political economy would corrupt the morality of citizens and undermine the social conditions essential to republican government”(Powerpoint). The country would opt for an approach closer to Hamilton’s views. One of the first acts was the National Banking Act.

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Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans were strict constructionists who believed that if the Constitution didn’t allow something, it was forbidden. Hamilton and the Federalists were loose constructionists who believed that if the Constitution didn’t forbid it, it was allowed. He explained his loose constructionist views in “Hamilton’s Opinion as to the Constitutionality of the Bank of the United States,” saying, “If the end is clearly found within any of the specific powers, and if the law has an obvious relation to the end, and it is not forbidden by any particular provision of the Constitution, it may safely be deemed to come within the compass of the national authority.” The National Bank held money for the nation, funded the government, and put private and public money together for a capital pool. Hamilton liked the National Bank because it loaned money to

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834 Words | 4 Pages

Thomas Jefferson’s legacy shaped the foundation of America today, his ideas on the limiting federal government, the separation of church and state, and the utmost importance of an individual 's personal rights. Limiting help to control potential abuses by the people in power over the citizens who elected them. His influence on limiting the federal government has prevented many crisis’ that have affected other democracies. Furthermore, his beliefs of separation of church and state helped to advance society by keeping the United States of America from becoming a theocracy. Arguably Thomas Jefferson’s biggest accomplishment comes from his incredibly strong and influential effort to further advance the personal rights of each and every citizen.

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