About Michael Troy Expertise My specialties are 17th through 19th Century history, especially in the Americas and Europe. I also have a fair knowledge of ancient Greek and Roman History, and some knowledge of Medieval European history.
My expertise is focuses on Military and political history, but I`ll take a crack at anything.
Experience I have been a guest lecturer at George Washington University. Mostly, I have just read hundreds of books about world history.
Education/Credentials J.D. Univ. of Michigan
B.A. George Washington University
Question My teacher wants me to write an essay about "With the respect to the federal constitution, the Jeffersonian republicans are usually characterized as strict constitutions who were opposed to the broad constructionist of the federalist. To what extent was this characterization of the two parties accurate during the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison?"
im completely lost as far as who the Jeffersonian republicans are? and what is constructionist and constructionist. please help thank you my AP essay is due Oct 6!! thank you
Answer Hi Ryan,
At the time, there were two main parties, the Federalists, and the Democratic-Republicans (also known as the Jeffersonian Republicans since Thomas Jefferson headed that party). The latter is the party that is today known as the Democratic Party.
The basic difference between the two parties at the federal level was that the Federalists favored a larger and more powerful federal government, with high tariffs to protect US industry, building infrastructure such as canals, and doing things to improve the economy.
The Democratic-Republicans under Jefferson favored a more limited federal government: low tariffs, and little involvement in much of anything other than a few very limited functions, such as diplomacy, running the military in time of war, and a few other functions.
The big debate in these early years is how the Constitution should be interpreted (construed). The Federalists wanted to construe it broadly. This meant that the government should have broad power to do whatever would be helpful to build the new country and fulfill its goal. Where there was any vagueness or ambiguity in the constitution, it should be construed broadly so that government would be found to have the powers it needed or wanted. Democratic-Republicans supported strict Construction. They saw the federal government as a danger of becoming tyrannical. They believed the Constitution gave the federal government only limited authority to act in a few areas. Where there was any question about powers, it should be construed strictly so that government would be found not to have the power to act.
