Federalism

Federalism was one of the main beliefs of the Founding Fathers. Before the Revolutionary War, the thirteen colonies lacked any integration or central power structure beyond the English monarchy. Even for several years after the Revolutionary war was one, the colonies maintained a loose collaboration under the Articles of Confederation, a body holding no central power beyond that granted by the collective states. The idea for national interest to cede states power seemed impossible to the Founding Fathers.

* Federalism refers to the shared control by two bodies over the same area. The best example of this is the American system which maintains separate States power over jurisdictional lines, but that still submits to a national interest controlled by the federal government. It is important to note that the founding father saw the growing nation as a representation of federalism, but most favored states power over the federal government. One possible explanation for this is the way that colonists saw themselves. In almost all cases the founding fathers saw themselves as say Virginians first, and Americans second. This sentiment illustrates nothing more than the nation was brand new and lacked true identity at that time.

* After Washington’s inauguration, federalism was still strong but with states power slowly starting to ween. The first real effort to guarantee a national interest was completed by Alexander Hamilton. Interestingly, Alexander Hamilton never saw himself as a New Yorker due to his birth in the Bahamas. What he saw of America was the revolutionary fervor and that is all he cared about. Hamilton’s three-pronged financial system establish a system of national debt and banking establish the federal power as the new nation’s purse. The deal was hashed out with Thomas Jefferson for a trade to make the national capital in Virginia–Jefferson stated numerously after this time that it was his biggest regret of his political career.

* States power in the realm of federalism continued to ween until a last ditch effort by Southern states to cede from the Union leading to the Civil War. Many see the Civil War as a fight over the injustices of slavery, which it was in part, but many at the time saw it is a larger pull away from national interest and a fight for self governance.

America is still a society predicated on federalism. The vast majority of laws in this country are still made on the state level. States power would never return to the pre-Civil War days, however, after the introduction of the fourteenth amendment. After the ratification of the Civil War amendment–thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen–the national interest would always trump states power and rights.

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was a true renaissance man that was an inventor and known as an expert in law, politics, architecture, philosophy, and writing. Many know him most commonly as the third president of the United States but his most important accomplishments came outside of the presidency. Jefferson was a primary founding father and known to have written the Declaration of Independence.

* Thomas Jefferson lived most of his life in Monticello, Virginia where he became one of its most famous sons. At the peak of his prominence, Virginia was known as the most powerful colony and wielded great power in the political decisions of the day. Scholars note that by agreeing with the northern colony of Massachusetts, Jefferson–representing Virginia alongside George Washington at the continental congress–became one of the biggest proponents of the American Revolutionary War.

* Jefferson writing the Constitution remains common knowledge for Americans of all ages. Many do not know, however, that Thomas Jefferson was greatly dissatisfied with the finished product. The Revolutionary War is generally treated as this great tide in America that most supported at the outset. This was simply not the case. As part of a committee directed to write the Declaration of Independence, it was still to be seen if the second continental congress would even pass the motion to sign it. Alongside John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, Jefferson wrote poetic prose containing elements of high-minded enlightenment thinking. Adams and Franklin noting the impracticality of attempting to have such a weighty document signed, they were forced to water down much of Jefferson’s most important ideals.

* Thomas Jefferson and John Adams could not have been more polarizing figures. Jefferson, tall and slender, and Adams, short and chubby, joined forces bringing Massachusetts and Virginia to the forefront of the revolutionary effort. After 1776 and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson and Adams agreed on little else during their lifetimes and became the most famous political foes in American history. Thomas Jefferson would come to exalt state rights as a leader of the Democratic-Republicans, while John Adams represented the Federalists and a stronger national government. One of the most famous last words ever uttered were on July 4, 1826 when Adams muttered with dying breath, “Jefferson still lives;” when in actuality he died earlier that same day on the 50th anniversary of the singing of the Declaration of Independence.

* Jefferson became the third American president, under the Democratic-Republican banner, and the major decisions of his presidency actually strengthened the central government he so despised. He unseated his political foe John Adams, disallowing him from winning a second term, from which Jefferson went to preside over two terms himself. One decision that Thomas Jefferson struggled with throughout his life was the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Purchasing a vast wealth of land from France for just over 16 million dollars was legally ambiguous, but with that decision Jefferson widely expanded the role of the federal government.

Thomas Jefferson remains on the prominent figures of republicanism and democracy. Although he was a wealthy farmer that owned hundred of slaves, Jefferson is know to have represented the people at every juncture during his long life.

Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence illustrates for many people the representation of individual rights. In addition, many felt the Constitution to be void of many of the considerations that made the Declaration of Independence great. After the states ratified the Constitution the inaugural congress set to work at the task of James Madison to reestablish the ideals of the Declaration of Independence in the Constitution. From this thought, the Bill of Rights were enacted granting Americans inherent rights that few citizens of any nation every experienced.

* The Declaration of Independence lamented against the despotic rule of the British crown. Many were fearful that this new Constitution would instill a new central power unconcerned with the will of the many. The assumption that the American Revolution was fought and won leading right into the American nation is simply not true. For a span of several years, the new constituency of thirteen colonies lacked any integral unity or central ideals. Even with this consideration, the populace remained weary of a new central government that would play a hand in their affairs not much unlike that of the British crown. Everything that the Declaration of Independence once represented seemed to be lost in politics and posturing.

* After the Constitution was ratified, it seemed to be on a short leash. The idea of a central power still struck fear in most people weary from the previous fifteen years under the British crown. James Madison who took a leading role in the drafting and ratification of the Constitution established a Bill of Rights to guarantee for people the things they lacked under the British empire.

* Among the Bill of Rights consisted ten amendments that were almost radical in their intentions. Some of the crucial extension of rights to American individuals under the Bill of Rights included; the freedom of speech, freedom to practice religion, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, right to representation in a court of law, protection from cruel and unusual punishment, right to a jury of their peers, and numerous other rights never before guaranteed by a central government.

The Bill of Rights came to embody the main sentiment of the Declaration of Independence. It allowed people to live free of persecution in a manner they wish, while maintaining the protection and safety of a central government. Madison expressed his desires for a bill of rights even before the ratification of the Constitution, but wanted to make sure that a government existed before destroying its chances.