Discovering Our Past: The American Journey to World War I

Chapter 5: The Federalist Era

Web Lesson Plans

Introduction
In this chapter students read about the early years of the United States. Although President George Washington warned of the dangers of political parties in his Farewell Address, it was too late. Many Americans had already chosen sides. The first political parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, had already formed.

Lesson Description
Students will visit the Ohio History Central Web site and read entries on American political parties. They will read about the first two parties in America and answer questions. Then they will create a flyer that could have been distributed to influence people to join either the Federalist or Democratic-Republican Party.

1. The learner will be able to define the time periods for the Federalist and Democratic-Republican Parties.
2. The learner will be able to describe important events in the history of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican Parties.
3. The learner will be able to organize information to create a flyer promoting one of the political parties.

1. Federalists believed in a strong national government. They believed that the Constitution was a "loose" document that did not define all of the powers that the federal government should have. The government had the right to adopt additional powers to fulfill its duties under the Constitution. Federalists wanted a diverse economy. The United States at this time was a land of farmers. The Federalists wanted America to become industrialized as well. The Federalists were also elitist. They believed that only the wealthiest and most educated white men should rule in America. If working-class or even middle-class people received power, greed might corrupt them.
2. Hamilton and the Federalist Party wanted to model themselves after England, both economically and politically. They wanted to become industrialized and to allow only the most deserving people to rule, just like England.
3. Democratic-Republicans believed that the Constitution was a "strict" document that clearly limited the powers that the federal government could utilize. Democratic-Republicans also favored keeping the United States' economy based on agriculture. The Democratic-Republicans were much more egalitarian than the Federalists. Jefferson believed that all adult white men should have the right to vote and serve in office as long as they owned a minimal amount of property. The Democratic-Republicans wanted all American families to own their own farm.
4. Jefferson and the Democratic-Republican Party wanted to model themselves politically after France, whose citizens followed the American example in the late 1780s, overthrowing their king.
5. Students' flyers will vary.