Jefferson and Madison DBQ

The Democratic - Republican Party was founded in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and was characterized as strict constructionist, which meant that members believed that the constitution should be interpreted by what was written. The ideas of the Democratic-Republicans were opposed to those of the Federalist who believed in loose interpretation. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison served as presidents under the Democratic - Republican Party. Jefferson served from March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809 and Madison from March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817, while both believed that the constitution should be interpreted strictly how it was written throughout both of their presidencies Jefferson and Madison stayed true to the beliefs of the Democratic - Republican Party while allowing for loose interpretation either to benefit person agendas or for the betterment of the country. When Jefferson first took office he took a strong stand against the ideas and beliefs of the Federalist Party. Jefferson alleged that the nation “can never be harmonious and solid while so respectable a portion of its citizens support principles which go directly to a change of the federal Constitution” (Doc. A). Jefferson initially viewed the use loose interpretation of the Constitution to make laws and policies, as a direct challenge to state power which the Democratic - Republican Party so strongly believed in . He believed that Federalists were wrong in their way of interpreting the Constitution and that they were trying to “sink the state governments, consolidate them into one, and to monarchies that” (Doc. A). Jefferson believed that the “country is too large to have all its affairs directed by a single government…” (Doc. A) And feared that with too much power a monarchy could soon consume the United States again. Jackson believed that with loose interpretation of the constitution things such as even religion could be controlled by the government. Jackson stated that “no power to