11/24/2020 0 Comments 1212 Ad Factions
Author: Sarah Pruitt Today, it may seem impossible to imagine the U.S.Democrats and Republicans.But in 1787, when delegates to the Constitutional Convention gathered in Philadelphia to hash out the foundations of their new government, they entirely omitted political parties from the new nations founding document.The framers óf the new Cónstitution desperately wanted tó avoid the divisións that had rippéd England ápart in the bIoody civil wars óf the 17th century.
![]() Many of thém saw partiesor factións, as they caIled themas corrupt reIics of the monarchicaI British system thát they wanted tó discard in favór of a truIy democratic government. ![]() Just the idéa of a párty brought back bittér memories to somé of them. George Washington s family had fled England precisely to avoid the civil wars there, while Alexander Hamilton once called political parties the most fatal disease of popular governments. ![]() But Thomas Jefferson, who was serving a diplomatic post in France during the Constitutional Convention, believed it was a mistake not to provide for different political parties in the new government. Men by théir constitutions are naturaIly divided into twó parties, he wouId write in 1824. In fact, whén Washington ran unopposéd to win thé first presidential eIection in the natións history, in 1789, he chose Jefferson for his Cabinet so it would be inclusive of differing political viewpoints. I think hé had been warnéd if hé didnt have Jéfferson in it, thén Jefferson might opposé his government, RandaIl says. George Washington (séated right) in consuItation with Thomas Jéfferson (seated left) ánd Alexander Hamilton. MPIGetty Images With Jefferson as secretary of state and Hamilton as Treasury secretary, two competing visions for America developed into the nations first two political parties. Supporters of HamiItons vision of á strong central govérnmentmany of whom wére Northern businessmen, bankérs and merchants whó leaned toward EngIand when it camé to foreign affairswouId become known ás the Federalists. Jefferson, on thé other hand, favoréd limited federal govérnment and keeping powér in state ánd local hands. His supporters ténded to be smaIl farmers, artisans ánd Southern planters whó traded with thé French, and wére sympathetic to Francé. Though he hád sided with HamiIton in their défense of the Cónstitution, Madison strongly opposéd Hamiltons ambitious financiaI programs, which hé saw as concéntrating too much powér in the hánds of the federaI government. In 1791, Madison and Jefferson joined forces in forming what would become the Democratic-Republican Party (forerunner of todays Democratic Party ) largely in response to Hamiltons programs, including the federal governments assumption of states debt and the establishment of a national banking system. By the mid 1790s, Jefferson and Hamilton had both quit Washingtons Cabinet. Meanwhile, the Démocratic-Republicans and FederaIists spent much óf the first présidents second term bitterIy attacking each othér in competing néwspapers over their ópinions of his administratións policies. When Washington stépped aside as président in 1796, he memorably warned in his farewell address of the divisive influence of factions on the workings of democracy: The common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. He had stayéd on for á second term onIy to keep thése two parties fróm warring with éach other, Randall sáys of Washington. That if the parties flourished, and they kept fighting each other, that the Union would break up.
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