Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mr. Gillard
AP US History
14 October 2006
Evils of Faction
Before the United States had set their rules and governments in stone, there was
basically one political party throughout, but after the Constitution was ratified, political
parties began to form, against the wishes of the founders of the country.
The relationship of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson to President John
Adams is a good example. President Adams was an Anti – Federalist, or someone who
opposed the ratifying of the Constitution, as was Jefferson, but Hamilton was a Federalist.
This caused problems with certain issues because of the views the two separate parties
had.
Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were great adversaries, so because of
their competition with each other, Hamilton created the Federalist Party, and Jefferson
created the Republican Party. Both had different agendas and different goals for the young
country. If the two had been on better terms, the two political parties probably would have
been much different, if created at all.
The Whiskey Rebellion is another example of cause and effect leading to the
formation of political parties. Whiskey farmers in Western Pennsylvania grew angry
about being taxed for shipping whiskey and liquor. They believed that it was unfair
taxation, so remembering what had happened with Shays’ Rebellion, decided to rebel.
George Washington himself traveled with a militia of men to suppress the rebellion. The
suppression of the rebellion was cause enough for farmers to travel to the states of
Kentucky and Tennessee, which in the end helped to turn people away from the Federalist
Party and toward the Democratic Republican Party, of the Anti Federalists.
The Neutrality Proclamation was another example of circumstances leading to the
formation of political parties. President Washington issued the Declaration and it stated
that the United States would "adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial towards
the belligerent powers", thus leading the war with France and Britian. President
Washington’s cabinet supported neutrality on the issue, but disagreed on how to go about
it. Alexander Hamilton supported closer ties with the British, while Thomas Jefferson
supported the French. Because both men had different views, people strayed towards
either one, but not both, either the AntiFederalists or the Federalists.