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During the early years of the American Nation, two political groups would emerge which held completely different ideals and beliefs. These two parties would hold much hostility towards one another and were constantly vying for power, this hostility eventually escalating to the point that violence would take place and the nation would split over several beliefs. These two parties, known as the Federalists and the Republicans, views on democracy, governmental power, the economy, and foreign affairs, though quite different in some aspects and similar in others, would deeply impact the way that this nation would be formed.

At the beginning of America’s history as a nation, a system of loose confederation would be used in an attempt to hold the nation together. Eventually this system would falter and its flaws would be called to attention by certain events such as Shay’s rebellion. A new form of government would be established and it would fallow a form of democracy, a style that would be agreed upon by most. Both the Federalists and Republicans did agree upon this democratic system, however, the extent to which they did so varied. The republicans believed that the nation should be a fully democratic land with each state handling its own affairs, the power lying in the hands of the state governments, and having a weak central government, this would be a system quite similar to the one used in the Articles of Confederation. The federalists, in contrast, believed in a more timid form of democracy, where only the rich and educated would have power and where a strong national government would control the country, limiting states rights greatly. Both of these views and ideals would be considered in the making of the constitution and many compromises would be made to find a middle ground during its creation.

The mater of the economy was one, which was of great importance at the time of America’s beginning. There was much trouble amongst the states and the nation as a whole due to the large debts owed during the time. The Federalists would take advantage of this and try to unite the nation under a common bond of debt, obtaining both a stronger grasp on the nations economy and more support for their systems of financing. They would try to raise as much revenue from the country as possible under false debts in an attempt to strengthen the national government and be able to back it monetarily, eventually creating a national bank. The Republicans on the other hand wanted the nations economic problems to remain separate amongst the states. The favored a more individualistic and independent view on the mater of the nations economy and rejected ideas that bound them together, such as the national bank. They would try to press for the states to be in control of their own monetary maters rather than having a central government.

Both of the Federalist and Republican party would hold very different views on dofien affairs. The Federalists would be quite partial to their motherland Britain and would favor them for several reasons. The first would obviously be that they felt bonded to their motherland; the second and more important reason would be that they depended heavily upon Britain’s trade as a large source of income and also to help create greater national unity. The Republicans on the other hand, would favor France, who had helped them obtain their freedom and who with they had made an alliance. During this time, France would undergo its own revolution, one, which would start off a timid but, would quickly escalade into a bloody mess. Both parties would initially support the revolution but as soon as the revolution became murderous the Federalists would withdraw their support of the revolution, the Republicans, however, would continue to support the revolutionists, feeling that they shared a kinship with them in that they too had experienced a battle fought for freedom and believing that the lives of a few aristocrats was a small price to pay for freedom.

Though both of the political parties would hold many drastically different vies on how the nation should be run, the federalists with their “loose construction” views and the Republicans with their “tight construction, these referring to how closely the constitution was followed, they would be instrumental and be of major influence in the initial years of America’s history as a nation. Both of their views would combine and shape America into what it is that we know today, without them, we would be living in a drastically different place.