Federalists and Thomas Jefferson

Question

Historians refer to Thomas Jefferson as “one of those dead white guys who should not be forgotten.” In the following essay, explain why the Federalists worried when Jefferson was elected president. Then describe the events that took place during Jefferson’s first administration that laid those worries to rest.

Answer 1

Jefferson was a staunch anti-federalist. He was a republican who believed in small central government, with state and local governments doing the majority of the policy making, with the feds providing support when needed. The Federalists believed in a strong and large central government. So, you can imagine when Jefferson was elected that the Federalists began to tremble. Except, Jefferson didn't really back up his strong republican beliefs. For example, during the Presidency of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton was pushing for a national bank while Jefferson vehemently opposed it. Fast forward to his presidency, and the same man who opposed it actually brought the National Bank to fruition. He also, for the most part, unilaterally purchased the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon. These actions were only some of the reasons why federalists began to trust Jefferson and even more- they respected him!