Discussion Questions for Chapter 10 (October 6th)

Chapter Summary

The period between 1785 and 1800 was one of the most politically productive in American history.  During these fifteen years, the nation, guided by some of the most talented men in its history, reorganized itself under a new framework of government and then struggled to define¾for itself as well as for others¾just what had been created.  It was a period marked by the rise of a party that called itself Federalist, although the philosophy it espoused was, as its opponents were quick to point out, more "nationalist" in emphasis.  Arguing that in order to prosper, the United States had best follow the economic and political example of Great Britain, these Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, injected foreign policy into domestic differences and set the stage for one of the earliest and most serious assaults by the government on individual civil liberties.  Seeing their less elitist, pro-agriculture Republican opponents as supporters of the enemy in an undeclared war with France, the Federalists set out to suppress dissent and those who promoted it.  The Federalist assault on liberties brought a swift response and so heightened tensions that many feared that the nation could not survive.  It was against this background that a shift of power occurred.  By end of the decade, the Federalists, who had been the moving force for so many years, were clearly losing ground to the Republicans.  This meant that if wounds were to be healed and divisions mended, it would have to be done by the man many believed to be the personification of all that separated the two groups¾Thomas Jefferson.

Discussion Questions

1.      What were Hamilton’s motives for proposing his plans for taxation, assumption, and currency regulation? What was it in his motives that so upset Jefferson and Madison? Compare and contrast the political, economic, and social philosophies of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Explain the sort of nation each wished to create.

2.      George Washington is highly regarded by most historians as a successful president. Is his reputation deserved? Make a case for or against this assertion.

3.      During the "Federalist Era," events in other countries did much to shape political party growth and domestic policy. Look at American relations with England, Spain, and France, analyze how these relations affected the two political parties that emerged during this period, and explain the way the government responded to this foreign influence on the parties.