EXHIBITS

George Washington

Alexander Hamilton

Thomas Jefferson

James Madison

Before we begin discussing some of the causes for political division in the newly formed United States of America under the Constitution of the United States, let’s take a minute to examine a few of the most influential figures in the formation of America’s first parties. Over the years these men have had their lives so well documented, studied, and dissected that we cannot possibly address more than a tiny fraction of how these men have influenced the American political scene for over two centuries.

First, we have George Washington, the Father of the Nation, who abhorred the idea of political parties or factions. Washington assembled a diverse cabinet of brilliant men to advise him, but later learned how difficult it was to keep the peace between men like Hamilton and Jefferson. While Washington was never officially a member of any party, he leaned agreed with Hamilton more often than not.

Second, we have Alexander Hamilton: one of the two primary authors of The Federalist, the first Secretary of the Treasury, and former member of George Washington’s wartime staff. His experience as Washington's aide during the war gave him a similar perspective on how useless a government like the Continental Congress was during emergencies. Hamilton believed that a strong federal government leads to a strong country and many of his policies were centered around stabilizing the country financially. During Washington's first term in office, Hamilton became the figurehead of a new political party—the Federalists. 

Third, we have Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the "Declaration of Independence" and first Secretary of State. Jefferson advocated for a weaker central government which could allow individuals a greater amount of freedom. Like many Virginians, Jefferson distrusted banking and preferred an agrarian vision of America's future (though he did not dismantle the federal bank when he became president in 1804). Jefferson headed the first Democratic-Republican party, which grew out of an idealistic faith in the common people and a distaste for Hamilton's political programs.

Fourth, we have James Madison: the other primary author of The Federalist, a close friend and confidant of Thomas Jefferson, one of the primary orchestrators of the creation of the Constitution, and the author of the Bill of Rights. James Madison is the most complex of all of these figures, as his political stand seemed to have shifted radically sometime between 1789 and 1792, much to the confusion and disappointment of Hamilton who had enjoyed his collaboration with Madison. Despite his contributions towards creating and ratifying the Constitution, Madison performed most of the politicking behind the Republican party as he helped Jefferson put his ideals into action.

Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton did not get along; they differed too fundamentally. But they did respect eachother to a degree and Washington sought the advice of both of these great minds, which created, “an era of constructive conflict.”[1]