George Washington's Party System

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Despite Washington’s efforts to urge America to develop without party systems, there were many factors that contributed to the development of a divide within the American Political system. During the era of Washington and Adams, there were two major ideologies that resonated with the individuals in America who were politically educated; there was Federalism (once known as Hamiltonianism) and Republicanism (once known as Jeffersonianism).

These two concepts celebrated widely different types of federal government. One can conclude that there were certainly geographical splits in political beliefs, judging from maps on pages 244 and 258. Southern and western Americans tended to push for a smaller federal government, with an agrarian focused economy, they identified as Jeffersonians and Republicans. Northern Americans tended to push for a larger, more powerful federal government and a more …show more content…
He warned that a party system would create a kind of political blindness and stubbornness against opposing viewpoints. “It serves always to distract the Public Councils and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection…” - George Washington, Farewell Address 1796. With controversial issues such as the Whiskey Rebellion, Jay’s and Pinckney’s Treaties, and the National bank, there were certainly many instances where opposing political parties played out the very dynamic issues that he warned of. For instance, in terms of Jay’s Treaty, Hamiltonians were thrilled at the prospect of good terms with Great Britain so that there would be many trade benefits. However, Jeffersonians were not so happy as this conflicted with the alliance with France, seeing as France and Great Britain were

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