Contrasting Hamilton and Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Virginia. His parents were farmers. Jefferson was very smart and studied many things at school and college. He designed his own home, called Monticello. It was very advanced for that period of time. Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772. And Alexander Hamilton was not born in the United States. He was from the Caribbean island of Nevis. His father was named James Hamilton and his mother was named Rachel Fawcett Lavien. Hamilton's mother had a child from a previous marriage that she left behind when she moved to Nevis. At the time, this meant that Hamilton was illegitimate since his mother and father were not legally married. He was very sensitive about this fact. Jefferson and Hamilton’s life differences don’t stop there.

Their form of governments was also different in the mind. Hamilton was a Federalist; that had quite a few similarities with the modern day Republicans. He believed that the country should be ruled by the rich people; to him the rich people were equivalent to the “best people”. He, as well as the other Federalists, believes in a good national government. He liked the idea of a big, strong government. And the idea of having a big government will keep order within the people. He also believes that national power and dignity is worth more than rights of states. While Thomas Jefferson is a Republican, he believes that democracy is the way to go. He also thinks that the Federalist’s definition of “best people” is the closest thing American’s will have to monarchy; and that’s not a good idea. He expects a good interpretation of the Constitution; believes that the way the Constitution is written is how it should be respected, known and translated into. He thinks the national bank was unconstitutional and dangerous. He believes that people should rule, and that anyone can be president and can be anything they want (involving government); state government should be more reliable and stable than a national government. He believes that a national government should be kept at bay so that the state government will be more powerful.

Another difference is their thinking concerning the economical society of the American nation. Hamilton believes that the national greatness depended on the United States developing a strong economy. Back in the day, Americans still relied on agriculture. He believes that the economy should be dependent on big manufacturing businesses. He also believed that somehow, the economy will be in better shape if they moved the nation’s capital. Then, Hamilton asked the Congress to make a national bank. The government will be helped by this bank by getting the taxes and keeping them safe. He thinks that all Americans will be better off it there are big trading and business as such in the States. As Jefferson was a Republican; he was a country man. He liked it old fashioned. He wanted to let the economy stay as it is by being reliant on agriculture. In his view, the national bank was unconstitutional and anti-farmer; because the Bank doesn’t loan money to farmers to buy more land.