Hamiltonians Vs Jefferson Analysis

APUSH
11/7/13
DBQ #3: Hamiltonians VS Jeffersonians/Madisonians Alexander Hamilton was the sculptor who chiseled the rough edges of America’s economy away. He was the essential part in the plan to solve the massive war debt after the revolution. As a strong federalist, he had views that he and his party shared and were deemed fit for the refinement of America’s economy. Thomas Jefferson was his eternal rival in terms of views. Along with James Madison, Jefferson was the polar opposite to Hamilton. The two past presidents seemed to be rigid with their views concerning political strategies the United States was taking in its early decades. These men before their presidencies were rock solid anti-federalist. However, Jefferson and Madison
In 1791 Hamilton argued that a National Bank would be of great benefit to the economy and would be the keystone of his plan for economic refinement. Jefferson was against it in every aspect.(Document A) Thomas’s logic was that the written constitution was not a wall of rules for the states but rather a wall to contain the federal government. Thomas perceived it as the confines the federal government had to work within; no more no less. Madison described it as a constitutional charter of constructs.(Document C) Thomas debates that the powers left unaddressed by the constitution are given to the states; Thomas uses the tenth amendment as evidence for his argument against the national bank.(Document A) However, a national bank is set up anyways, but it expires once its twenty charter is up. Hamilton wanted a consistent neutrality for the United States to express internationally as part of his plan. Britain was a crucial trade partner with America and would be needed once peacetime had begun and routine trade could begin. Jefferson and Madison believed isolation was the proper way to go; even in 1808 Jefferson passed the Embargo Act shutting all trade ports to other countries.(Document F) Jefferson saw trade as a source of conflict and a gateway to wars, which was not wrong. Alexander wanted neutrality to keep international trade so the economy would thrive. Jefferson was already in favor of complete isolation from any other country in any sort of manner.(Document D) Jefferson would argue against Hamilton over the topic of isolation versus neutrality. Jefferson believed that international trade and tariffs were unnecessary to the nation however tariffs were strongly supported by the federalists.(Document H) These taxes federalists would pass were planned to help pay for