The Origins of Partisanship | BRI’s Homework Help Series
This latest installment of our Homework Help Institute of History series addresses the origins of partisanship in the United States. In the late 18th Century, the new nation was at risk of being torn apart as factions developed between Federalists and Anti-Federalists whose differences over the nature and structure of the new government played out in pamphlets, newspaper essays, state ratifying conventions, in taverns, and on street corners. Some compromise was reached with the ratification of The Bill of Rights, but differences over policy continued to play out among factions and the Federalists and Democratic-Republican parties formed. This video is intended as a general overview of this period of U.S. History, and a springboard for a deeper exploration of the various political disputes of the late 1700s and early 1800s.
0:09 we never agree with one another 100% of the time conflicts of interest are unavoidable especially in politics sometimes during a standstill a mediator can step up and squash the issue even if they don’t agree with either side entirely working on a group project in two people class heads dig in
0:30 and be the mediator so today we travel back to the late 18th century when major disagreements amongst America’s founding fathers had our new born country in danger of being split before it could even grow today we discuss partisanship this is America’s Constitution signed by 39 of our most important founding
0:51 fathers yeah some of the handwriting is even worse than a doctor’s but it’s still a big deal however just because many heavy hitters of the revolution sign this document doesn’t mean everyone wanted to in the first place on one side of the argument were the Federalists Federalists were really into the
1:12 Constitution they believed it was necessary improvement to the old Articles of Confederation because it solidified the power of the central government and provided a structure for America to grow but not everyone agreed this is where the anti-federalists come in anti-federalists main concern was that if the federal government was given
1:33 too much power America risks becoming a monarchy like England whose butts we had just kicked to gain our independence both sides had valid points but they weren’t settling differences over cordial dinners the Federalists and anti-federalists fought in newspaper essays pamphlets state ratifying conventions and even in taverns in on
1:55 street corners being partisan and politics is very serious business thankfully a monumental compromise was made between the two sides when the anti-federalists succeeded in having the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution the Bill of Rights appeased the concerns of many important founding fathers who
2:17 felt the Constitution needed some tweaking despite this breakthrough there was still tension as disagreements over policy mounted political parties formed with the Federalist Party and the Democratic Republican Party leading the charge one major clash of ideologies came in 1798 when the majority Federalist Congress voted in the
2:39 controversial Alien and Sedition Acts Madison wrote a famous response to the acts in 1798 called the Virginia resolution which said that states had the duty to pull rank on the federal government and decide what was best for their people States began choosing sides states like Kentucky in Virginia said
3:00 get lost to the acts others like New Hampshire gave us thumbs up and deem them constitutional as America grew so did debates on how to handle it for instance by the 1830s the north and the south had different methods of making money the North was becoming more
3:20 industrialized while the South remained dedicated to farming in agriculture when Congress passed taxes that southerners thought benefited the north and not them they were none too pleased especially South Carolina even vice president John Calhoun hated the taxes so much so that he would resign as vice president under
3:40 Andrew Jackson that same year South Carolina led by Calhoun told the federal government to take a heck with their taxes and even threatened to leave the Union if violent action was taken against them so what did President Jackson do you threatened South Carolina with war that’s what he did thankfully
4:02 there would be help at the zero-hour that they was saved at least for the time being in large part due to a kentucky senator named click clay brokered a compromise between the federal government in South Carolina that lowered the tariffs and appease the angry state the crisis is over our
4:22 country for the time being was settled down and ready to prosper sadly things wouldn’t be so hunky-dory down the line but that’s a story for another day you