Should the new America have a strong national government with a centralized authority and commercial economy, or a modest centralized government that should remain on the side of the minority? The minority was rural and agrarian. An issue such as this led Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to the forefront of the Republican Party whole Alexander Hamilton lead the opposing party. The rise of political parties began.
Hamilton, despite his own humble and poor beginnings, believed in a strong government led by a ruling class. This is why Jefferson accused Hamilton of being a "monarchist". (Document 1) Hamilton's government therefore, needed to be funded by the wealthy and powerful calling Jefferson's ideas unsound and dangerous. In order to get support from the wealthy you must give them a stake in the government's success. (monarchial) Hamilton also believed in the excise tax as explained in Document 3, to be paid mostly by distillers of alcohol.
James Madison, Hamilton's major collaborator, late...
Oil on canvas portrait of Alexander Hamilton by Jo...
Secretary of State James Madison, who won Marbury ...Most distillers were from Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Virginia-the poor. Farmers were also affected. This wax was a burden to the majority of new Americans- the working class. Hamilton's party, the Federalists, in short, envisioned a new stabilized government. America should become a nation with a wealthy enlightened ruling class with an independent commercial economy. Hamilton also wanted to fund the war debt incurred during the Revolution, funded by the wealthy, giving them a permanent stake in the government but creating a national debt. (Document 2) Republicans did not like this.
Jefferson and Madison, on the other hand, believed that the majority of Americans, the farmers and rural workers, should not be ruled by the rich and powerful. They, not the rich, were the backbone of America. According to Document 5, the Republican Party was born from Whigs. However, it is not to...