the conflict of 1800
...hem back to the same battle that they just fought with the British. In the end, the intelligence of the Federalist overcame the citizen’s fearful thoughts and they accomplished the ratification of the Constitution. During the election of 1800, the Federalist party turned upside down. John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; John Adams, a former president and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney were the three presidential candidates for the election (http://www.historycentral.com/Bio/presidents/jefferson.html) . On the other side of the Election of 1800 were the Democratic Republicans which became to be known as the Jeffersonian Republicans. Since Thomas Jefferson was the minister to France in 1785 (Kane, pg. 38), he had sympathy for the French Revolution. The Republicans as well sympathized with the French, so it was only right for Jefferson to become the leader of this new party. The Democratic Republicans were in favor of strong state governments and the Federal Government just being there for the goodness of the citizens. They represented checks and balances between the individual branches of government and they yearned for separation of church and state. The Democratic Republicans purposed that freedom of speech and the press were the only way to withhold the people of America from going against the government. In a way they almost represented what the Anti-Federalist were. Most of the majority of Democratic Republicans were ordinary people like farmers who disagreed with the Federalist. They might have been the least common out of the two parties but they were reason for a new divided government. The Republicans first made a huge appearance in American eyes during the election of 1800. Jefferson along with Aaron Burr were the candidates of this freshly new party. In modern day America, controversy between separate political parties is a familiar process. However, America in the 1800’s was not quite accustomed of this dispute. The dilemma that occurred in the 1800 election first began to arise in 1796 when a strong Federalist, Adams, was elected President and his runner-up, Jefferson, was placed to be Vice President. America was in a war with France when Adams was elected President. While in office, Adams signed The Alien Act, Alien Enemies Act and the Sedition Act. These laws put restrictions on freedom of speech, freedom of press and they limited independence to immigrants in America (http://www.historycentral.com/Bio/presidents/adams.html). The Jeffersonian Republicans were outraged by these new laws and basically went against the limits that were placed by the government. In my opinion, this move that the Federalist made was political suicide, because this one decision alone turned them against the citizens of America. Towards the end of Adams term in office he made another choice that moved the Federalists against each other. America was in the middle of a war with France and even though the Federalist disagreed with Adams, he decided to settle their conflict. When it came time for the election in 1800 the Federalist party was divided. This allowed the Democratic Republicans to take charge of the election, putting Jefferson and Burr in a tie for President. Needing to settle the election it was put in the hands of the House of Representatives, were the majority were Federalist. In the end, Jefferson was elected the third President of the United States and created a brand new Federal Office. The framers of the Constitution had ambitions for a one party system. Ever since the elec...