Jefferson and Hamilton had a significant impact on how US history developed in terms of governance and governmental policies. The two were involved in the rising cause, and it is well known that they were key figures in the establishment of the United States of America. Jefferson and Hamilton did not share the same goals for the country, and they had different ideas about how to move it forward. On political issues, Hamilton and Jefferson had different opinions. Jefferson asserted that the people were the "final authority in the government" and was adamantly opposed to the notion of a central authority. (Humphrey 7). Jefferson did believe that the strength of the nation was embedded in the agrarian agricultural. Jefferson strongly believed that the economic path of the nation strongly hanged on agrarian agriculture while Hamilton believed that the economy of the nation would prosper with the establishment of a national bank to offer credit. Additionally, Jefferson strongly supported the French Revolution (Humphrey 18).
Hamilton, on the other hand, was in favor of the central authority and believe that for the government to be strong and effectively carryout its mandate, the central power was a fundamental factor. According to Hamilton the central authority was a necessity in the provision of law and order. He alleged that through this, the industries and businesses would grow and thus benefit the entire economy. Hamilton foresaw the US becoming an industrial power nation, and thus he drove at the establishment of a national bank which he thought that it would be significant in funding the national debt (Adams and Earl 17). Hamilton thought that this was a move that would lead to the creation of a stable basis of national credit. Also, Hamilton thought that the government was to be led with people who were only wealthy and educate and not the others who he called them to be “the mob” (Humphrey 19). He also sternly opposed any involvement into the French Revolution as oppose to Jefferson who supported the revolution. Jefferson contended that the constitution did not give the state any rights to establish a bank and was not for the idea of promoting the manufacturers despite being significant in the promotion of agrarian agriculture.
Hamilton also believed that both the Whites and the Blacks were equal in their ability and that the circumstances that surrounded the blacks and the whites such as slave and rights to education led to the differences. According to Jefferson, the black was an inferior race in both body and mind, and they were not in any way similar and equal to the whites (Henry 35). Due to the disagreement on viewing the two races, Hamilton proposed for freeing the slaves while Jefferson thought that the slaves should be continued and that the institution of slavery would slowly die on its own. On the political side, Hamilton believed that the senators and the president were to be elected for life while Jefferson did oppose by proposing that there should be reelections that would enable people to select their leaders. Also, Jefferson believed in periodic revolutions while Hamilton did not.
The conflict between Hamilton and Jefferson significantly shaped the emergence of political parties and the course of American nation. These conflicts helped in “giving rise to the political parties through polarizing factions on opposite political sides” (Adams and Earl, 21). The citizens who support Jefferson’s political views became Democratic-Republicans and were in support of the state rights and the French revolution. Hamilton supported were federalists and supported a stronger central government. The political views of the two led to the ratification of the Constitution and the emergence of Federalists and Anti-Federalists. According to Adams and Earl, the disagreements between Jefferson and Hamilton concerning the nation’s direction was significantly eroded the political hope of having a united country. The disagreements between the two narrowed down to factors of centralization in urbanism.
Works Cited
Adams, Henry, and Earl N Harbert. History Of The United States Of America During The Administrations Of Thomas Jefferson. New York, N.Y., Literary Classics Of The United States, 1986,.
Henry Cabot Lodge. The Works Of Alexander Hamilton. New York, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1904,.
Humphrey, Carol Sue. Voices Of Revolutionary America. Santa Barbara, California, Greenwood, 2011,.
