Long before the Democrats and Republicans engaged in partisan fighting, the Founding Fathers, who had not envisioned the creation of political parties, found themselves mostly aligned into two camps: the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, and the Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson.

The stakes were high almost immediately. With George Washington being the first President and creating a cabinet including Jefferson and Hamilton, the two parties and their different political philosophies vied for power and influence in the federal government right away. The parties led by Jefferson and Hamilton sparred over everything from monetary policy to foreign policy. The Federalists had the upper hand until Thomas Jefferson was elected President in 1800.
This collection of Primary Accounts: Federalist and Republican Debates of 1790-1800 includes the writings and words of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton on topics like foreign policy, setting precedents, the constitutionality of the First Bank of the United States. It also includes Washington’s Farewell Address and Jefferson’s Inaugural Address.

Primary Accounts: Federalist and Republican Debates of 1790-1800 is specially formatted with a Table of Contents and illustrations of the authors.