Title: Democratic Republicans and Federalists' Interpretation of the Constitution Essay - 798 Words
Headings: Democratic Republicans and Federalists' Interpretation of the Constitution
Democratic Republicans and Federalists' Interpretation of the Constitution
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Content: The true test of these assumptions is revealed throughout the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison, two leading figures of these two political parties. Although Jefferson advocated strict interpretation of the Constitution in his speech his actions proved otherwise, while Madison was at times a lose interpreter of the Constitution and in other situations a strict one. This is revealed throughout specific circumstances during their presidencies, such as the issuing of the embargo act and the Louisiana Purchase in Jefferson’s terms, and the issuing of a military draft and the Tariff of 1816 during Madison’s terms. Jefferson’s theories supported a strict interpretation of the Constitution, however, his issuing of the Embargo Act and his purchase of Louisiana from Napoleon demonstrated his support for lose interpretation of the Constitution as he saw fit for the nation. Jefferson issued the Embargo Act in 1807, forbidding the export of all goods or materials from the United States. The overuse of power by the federal government is...
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Essay about The Interpretation of the Constitution According to the Republican Party
...to the federal Constitution, the Democratic - Republicans were usually characterized as strict constructionists who were opposed to the broad constructionism of the Federalists. As history dictates, this is substantially accurate. In the time frame of 1801-1817, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, the Republican presidents of the time, demonstrated the differences of the Republican Party in several aspects involving the interpretation of the Constitution. The Democratic - Republicans believed that the government should follow a strict interpretation of the Constitution and held the idea that this would allow honest representation of the people and prevent government corruption. However, the Federalists were firm believers in the production of a strong central government and a broad interpretation of the Constitution .