Question

With respect to the federal Constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans are usually characterized as strict constructionists who were opposed to the broad constructionism of the Federalists. To what extent was this characterization of the two parties accurate during the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison? In writing your answer, use the documents and your knowledge of the period 1801-1817.

Answer 1

For the Jeffersonian Republicans, it was necessary to bring some different ideas to their mind after 1801, they accepted some federalist ideas due to the fact that after the government of Jefferson and Madison it was hard to distinguish between the ideas of the two parties

Step-by-step explanation:

For the Jeffersonian Republicans, it was necessary to bring some different ideas to their mind after 1801, they accepted some federalist ideas due to the fact that after the government of Jefferson and Madison it was hard to distinguish between the ideas of the two parties, since they had to share a lot of concepts for the constitution's construction. Jefferson for example, adopted some federalist conceptions when he bought some land that he was offered for the benefit of the country. He did so, even though the constitution was not strictly established or allowed for the purchase of land by the president.

On the other hand, at the same time the federalists adopted a strict constructionist position, arguing that the purchase of land by the president was not allowed by the constitution.

Also Madison, who was considered a federalist, acted according to republicans ideas when he refused to sign a congress project that proposed to destinate some money for the construction of roads, he said that idea was against the constitution and he had to reject it.

That is why, at that moment of politics it was hard to distinguish the ideas of the two parties that had been before so strict, but at that moment everything changed.